Hope everyone had a great summer! My son and I (and a friend, Christina), visited Rome and Paris, and, along with a very heavy workload, and travel to Boston, Denver, Austin, Nashville, and Seattle, had a great one.

I’m working on my end of the year book list, and will have travel reports and much more coming up.

–Robert

Edinburgh Fringe Review: “She Wolf”

She Wolf review: August 2018

This performance is what you get when smart people get creative.

I visited the Edinburgh Fringe for the first time and was overwhelmed.  Over a thousand performances in hundreds of venues, with little guidance on what quality performances were worth the time and funds? Aside from a few newspaper reviews, I was surprised that there wasn’t a central place for audience members to leave reviews of shows they have seen, with ratings.  What happened to Web 2.0 and the power of the people? While I was in line for a magic show I was seeing, a couple told me to see any of the shows at the Voodoo Rooms, which they said were usually high quality and worth the investment.

And so, I ended up in the audience for Gillian English’s closing night performance of “She Wolf”, a one-woman performance about the life of Margaret of Anjou, and specifically what Shakespeare did to her life’s story in the service of literature.

Even stating that generic summary doesn’t give enough credit for what a creative, intelligent, and highly entertaining show this was.  Ms. English knows her stuff and gives long memorized soliloquies as part of her performance that entirely by rote.  The connection to the source material (Shakespeare’s writings) that inspired this production is made clear.

She starts off with audience interaction, asking what the audience’s favorite Shakespeare plays are, and then goes into the depth of the show, the difficult task, and life of Queen Margaret, what alliances she entered into, and what difficult choices she had to make.  Truly a fascinating history, and a deep look into an interesting life, and she makes it humorous, given the sometimes-dark material.

And Gillian English definitely knows her stuff- asking the audience at what age Margaret would have been married and explaining to us about her marriage to King Henry VI and how he became a catatonic vegetable of sorts, leaving her to rule and be influenced by others.

Eventually, the message begins to sink in – over the years of a patriarchy, women in power are often doomed, to the detriment of society.  And still to this day, we endure a patriarchy structure that doesn’t serve us well.

The performance has only one prop – a sole book on stage, that is titled “Shit Shakespeare Put In My Mouth.” Which is itself a sight gag, although one with a deeper meaning, as Gillian begins to go over all the literary license and changes to the real life of a real woman that Shakespeare made to make a story both more palatable and more commercial for its time.  Shakespeare put Margaret into four of his plays, with various levels of historical accuracy. His takes on her (and errors about her) affects our view of Margaret and the War of the Roses based upon the fictional dialogues that Shakespeare made all those years ago.

Really, this is engagement with an audience at its best.  Realization after realization comes from her quotes, a deep dive into history and a view of a historical figure that both is unjustly accused of a great number of things and did not act irrationally in the face of power as history blames her of, at all.

Seeing an actor perform with such a high level of skill with this material, and both take on history and modern society, be unapologetic about doing so, and lead the audience to all the right conclusions on their own through the material really is genius.  The sexism you see in modern life has been around longer than we like to think.

Our audience roared with laughter and gave many knowing nods at the nature and the structure of this performance.  This takes place over 500 years ago, but seems even more politically savvy and relevant in the arena of modern politics.

One-person performances are really difficult to make entertaining. They put a lot of the burden on the performer to keep audiences engaged.  Gillian English really has a gift.  You feel her passion for the subject, and her highly tuned sense of comedic timing. Her energetic performance makes you feel empathetic to the points of view here and enlightened to a part of literary history that you may have not given thought of or made connections with before.

Talking with Ms. English, she really has a gift for comedic concepts and timing, combined with a deep knowledge of her audience, and of course, the material.  Even the names of her other shows and performances are hilariously funny, and she knows her history and literature. I cannot wait to see her again.

So, here’s my review, in a nutshell, to be posted wherever Edinburgh Fringe audience reviews should be posted. “–Five stars, super talented, highly intelligent and creative, and not to be missed wherever and whenever you can see her perform”.  It truly was the best performance I saw at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe by far.

As a human being on this Earth, I feel the need to both protect others and to assert my freedom.  Those two goals may conflict, but I think that the values of the enlightenment period in history both give us a guideline and insight as to how best to view society, laws, and how best to treat others.

The enlightenment values I am speaking of, are, I think, the following:

1. A skeptical approach to every part of society, towards an improvement of all of our systems.
2. Freedom of speech and freedom of thought;
3. A willingness to allow “bottom-up” movements and ideas to disseminate throughout society, rather than top-down authority.

The books “The Science of Liberty”, by Timothy Ferris, “The Moral Arc”, by Michael Shermer, and particularly the book, “The Better Angels of Our Nature”, by Steven Pinker, all go into much detail about why society improved once those values were developed, and how close adherence to those values make for a much safer, more prosperous, and more fair society.

I also keep thinking about the words of Christopher Hitchens, when he stated that the best way to make a nation prosperous is for that nation to make it as easy as possible for a woman to get an education.  That’s it.  And I think he’s right.  Women that delay marriage and children and are educated help all of society, and make everyone’s life better.

Making it easy for smaller and larger businesses to start up, take on risk, hire employees and pay taxes is also an easy way to help economies of all types around the world, but you would be surprised to see how little that is utilized around the world.

Won a DUI trial today.  It was a difficult case, with a .14/.15% blood alcohol level, almost double the legal limit, plus an accident, in Newport Beach, California. Here you can see the court minutes from the verdict:

Today was the verdict of Not Guilty in the DUI case, rendered at the Newport Beach courthouse.  I enjoy my job as an Orange County DUI Attorney and take my job seriously.

Often, as in this case, I have a sympathetic client.  Here I had a cancer surgeon, who had emigrated from Russia to Canada, and became a resident here in Orange County, California.  He was involved in an accident when he was looking for where to turn and had an unfortunate solo car accident when he hit a light pole during a turn.

The law requires that each element of a case be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, which is where sometimes the prosecution’s evidence doesn’t meet the high requirements of that legal burden and standard.

The law makes a notation in the jury instruction that bad driving by itself cannot be used to prove the DUI.  As the instruction notes:

“The manner in which a person drives is not enough by itself to establish whether the person is or is not under the influence of (an alcoholic beverage/ [or] a drug) [or under the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and a drug]. However, it is a factor to be considered, in light of all the surrounding circumstances, in deciding whether the person was under the influence.”

2016 Reading List – All the Books I read in 2016

This year I ended up reading 49 books, and enjoyed both fiction and nonfiction from a variety of areas.  We may all, as a society, have shorter attention spans, but this year I found it harder to get through longer books (one book below is over 800 pages), and instead of the 100 books a year I’ve enjoyed in the past, I only made it through the books below, (perhaps  due to social media and other influences).  If you’re interested, I have a list at the bottom of this note with links to the books I read in 2015 (34 books), in 2014 (45 books), in 2013 (97 books), in 2012 (100 books), in 2011 (32 books), 2011 (21 books), and in 2009 (19 books).  (This list was delayed because I had deleted the original file listing my reviews and list of books read, so there might be one or two that have been forgotten).  What books did you enjoy this past year? What books do you recommend for 2017? What books should I avoid? I love your comments.  Thanks for reading.

The Kind Worth Killing, by Peter Swanson

Notes: This fiction murder mystery, about two mysterious strangers that meet in a First-Class airport lounge, and hear each other’s stories of unhappiness, has many layers to it. The characters involved are interesting, clearly defined, and with motivations that are clearly written. Although this story was inspired by a familiar Alfred Hitchcock story, it takes some fascinating twists, and slowly reveals more about each character skillfully, and holds attention up to the somewhat abrupt and surprise ending. I enjoyed this book.

Robert’s Rating (RR): 5/5

Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush, by David Meachem

Notes: George H.W. Bush was unique among US Presidents, in that he kept a daily diary, with commentary, of each day that he was in the White House. Those diaries were used here as a starting point for Pulitzer prize winning author and historian Meachem, along with interviewing every living president, and every living member of the Bush cabinets and family, along with his political opponents. The writing here is honestly top notch, and the interviews are handled skillfully and tell a chronological story of a fairly sensitive man with incredible character, emotional moments, and living through and being a part of many of the biggest events of the world in the last century. While Bush Sr.’s unflattering thoughts about his son’s cabinet, mostly Cheney and Rumsfield, got all the press when this book came out last year, there are some other undiscovered gems, including how Bush Sr was surprised when Bush Jr converted to religion, and a story about how GWB (Jr) was drunk and in an argument with Jeb Bush, and then challenged Bush Sr to a fist fight ‘mano a mano’. The story of going out of his way to support Lyndon Johnson against his party, and remove himself from the NRA and move towards civil rights and environmental policies against his party, says volumes. Although this was an over 800 page book, the writing and significance of this biography kept pages turning until it was done.

RR: 5/5

All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

Notes: This book has a fascinating premise and a brilliant structure – it’s a fiction book set during the years of Nazi occupation in France, and involves both a young German boy fascinated by radio, and the relationship between a crafty father and his daughter, who is blind, and their life and conflicts. With a few twists, it is well told and a thrill to read. I couldn’t not give it my highest rating for the crafting of this expertly told story.

RR: 5/5

Long Walk to Freedom, by Nelson Mandela

Notes: This autobiography is amazing in so many ways, not least of that it was mainly written during a long prison sentence for activities against the state of South Africa. Most of Mandela’s early years I did not know about, but I learned in detail what the practice of law in segregated firms, big and small, was like in South Africa during apartheid, and the search for meaning in what Mandela was doing before and after his decades long prison sentence. The fact that he rose from prisoner to leader of the entire nation is a testament to his spirit and to the massive changes that took place in that country, in part because of him.

RR: 5/5

11/22/63: A Novel, by Stephen King

Notes: This book is part deep reminiscence by King of what it was like to be in New England in the 1950s, down to every detail, and part character study. Although it certainly would be described as science fiction, since it involves a man who plans to travel back in time to kill Lee Harvey Oswald before he could kill John F. Kennedy, the time travel element is not the focus, and it takes a long time to get to the action where Kennedy is involved. Knowing King’s biography, this must be a deeply biographical book, but the characters involved, and the skillful writing, and the expert building of tension again and again until the ending, make this an excellent read. When you change the past, the present doesn’t always go the way you want, in many aspects, and this book makes that heartbreakingly clear.

RR: 5/5

Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Notes: This very personal nonfiction book is a series of essays, written as a letter from the author to his son, warning him of the dangers growing up as a black man in America. It examines the author’s views on race in America, and American black history, and how that history has sometimes cost black bodies and lives. Delving into his time at Howard University and in Paris, and focusing on more current examples of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and other ugly parts of life as a black man, including the reality of mass incarceration, and police brutality, as history and as present day dangers. as part of its foundation. A powerful book, although not as tightly focused due to the essay style as it might have been.

RR: 5/5

Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior, by Geoffrey Miller

Notes:  I enjoyed reading the book and always enjoy Miller’s appearances on podcasts, radio, and on television specials. Miller is an insightful and talented writer, and uses his background as a professor in explaining branding in life and in human history. Branding creates associations to a product so that consumers pay more for the brand than for the actual features of the product. Being associated with a brand makes the intellectual property – the trademarks, logos, and brand name, that brings in the sales, not the commodity itself.  At length, he documents how people use possessions to signal their properties to potential mates. Humans waste resources just like all other animals to indicate fitness for mating. High maintenance, impractical objects such as expensive suits and cars (or fashion, shoes and purses), act as expensive signals of fitness via conspicuous waste, precision, or reputation, like human versions of the peacock’s tail. Like the book I read a few years ago, 59 seconds, Miller describes the “Big 6” characteristics that explain most of the variation between all personalities: general intelligence, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, extraversion, and stability. He goes through a few of these characteristics in detail and argues for the superiority of the Big 6 model over demographics and urges marketers (whether one person looking for a companion, or a large-scale company looking to increase sales of a product), to refine marketing through those eyes.

RR: 5/5

Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superatheletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Heard Of, by Christopher McDougall

Notes: This is written as almost three separate books. The first book is the author’s attempt to describe his attempts to become a runner, and all the pain that journey took him through, and his assignment trying to find and write about the Taraumara Indian tribe. The second book in a book describes the Taramaura, who are known as ultra-ultra-marathon runners, from the Copper Canyon area of Mexico. The drunken runs of hundreds of miles, day and night, of this tribe, seemed hard to believe, although the stories of life in the tribe, if true, are amazing. I find it difficult to believe that this tribe is both super-secret and do not talk to strangers, and also host several international marathons and events where they have people all over the world live and party with them. The third book is the most interesting – it describes the benefits of barefoot running, as opposed to using running shoes. And it concludes with the fact that humans can outlast and outrun any other animal on Earth. Humans have variable breathing, unlike most other species, and don’t have to stop when they overheat, unlike cheetahs and horses and reptiles. The science here is certainly cherry picked to fit the conclusion, and some of the Americans that travel to and run with the Taraumara seemed annoying (and in fact may have been). This book apparently started the entire rush in the shoe industry to make natural foot running shoes, and inspired an entire generation of runners to run barefoot.

4.5/5

The One World Schoolhouse, by Salman Khan

Notes: A book about what’s wrong with education and how to reform it must be controversial. But it’s hard to argue against the concepts in this book. Sal Khan has an amazing story, from starting a video to teach his niece one basic math concept, to starting a series of videos, filmed from his closet with his own money. When he nearly went broke with his award-winning series of videos, Silicon Valley took notice, and investors, plus notably Bill Gates, made a massive investment. Salman Khan wants the world’s students to learn concepts in all required subjects 100%, not just a passing 80%, and wants that education to be free, and available all over the world. The goal is to give every student a world class education, anywhere, anytime, for free. This is a wonderful and optimistic book that first goes through the history of his idea of an Academy based upon technology, the successes to date (one inner city school raised grades 40%, and an entire country in Africa became world leaders in math and science from his techniques). He then goes into the history of how our education system, along with its most famous attributes – the lecture by a teacher, the testing, breaks and vacations, came to be, past to present. He has interesting theories about keeping students in loops with a variety of teaching techniques until a student gets something completely, allowing teachers to guide what each student needs to learn on their own, and teaching students in a class to tutor each other and become teachers. It also seems a little light on examples as to internships, for example, as he only uses the examples of three tech companies, and the internship or apprenticeship model may not work in all industries. But it’s hard to argue with his common-sense conclusions about the known issues across the whole learning landscape. This could lead to a revolution in education, or at least some very promising experiments with specific schools, that could finally blend education and technology and especially change the developing world.

RR: 5/5

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo

Notes: This book was a best seller in Japan, and became a bestseller here when translated into English. And, while this book is very Japanese in what it discusses and what it proposes, it was a very enjoyable read and made me think about everything in the office and the home, from papers to clothing. Her technique of holding each item and asking “does this bring me joy” is a little silly, but she has some very specific techniques for each item of clutter in your home and I ended up with a new understanding of why people keep items and how to minimalize everything in my life.

RR: 5/5

A Man on The Moon, by Andrew Chaiken

Notes: I have had this book over 18 years, and my father claimed that it was the best book he’s ever read. Only now, for several reasons, did I get around to reading it. And it is an excellent read, providing some detail about the beginnings of the Apollo project, from its first tragedy, to the last landing on the moon, while discussing what an amazing and important achievement it was, why it was important, and takes in and conveys all details about each mission to the moon, what they meant, and why we did it. The research is impressive, and I can see why this book inspired the series “From the Earth to The Moon”, and has made Chaikin popular on the lecture circuit for space exploration. He’s a great writer.

RR: 5/5

Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill

Notes: This is a classic, and I may have read this long ago, but, as it is a short read, but an important one. This has stood the test of time as literature for almost 100 years now – long enough to be out of patent, so there are many versions on the market at present. But the clear common sense advice – you become what you focus and think about most – stands the test of time, and is always a good reminder.

RR: 5/5

4/5

The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins

Notes: This book was enjoyable, and even might have rated higher if I hadn’t read “The Kind Worth Killing”, above. I read this novel before it became a film, but wasn’t as impressed by the movie as I was with the novel. The book is told by several narrators in the first-person voice, and that, plus the fact that there are spouses and facts that link each (and some names and descriptions that by design are very similar), as well as the fact that it takes place in suburban England (along with British terms of speech), make for a confusing plot. Some sections you may want to re-read. However, I found this a well-crafted crime mystery and an enjoyable, and recommended, read.

RR: 4/5

The Science of Liberty by Timothy Ferris

Notes: While Ferris usually writes on big issue science subjects, “The Science of Liberty” is completely different. You will not find much in the way of astronomy or physics, but lots about the big thinkers from the Renaissance forward. Those that published and changed government during the age of enlightenment are the focus of this book. Depending on your politics, you may find issue with his conclusions, but the book is well researched and makes no huge leaps of logic. This is more “liberty” than “science”, and more “history” than science also, but documents how each scientific change made. The hypothesis here, supported with examples and writings from the past, is that individual liberties and scientific inquiry are historically and inseparably linked, and that together they form the principal engine of human progress. Where science is free to be practiced, liberties increase, and where that practice and research stops, societies, from communists, to religions, to monarchies, dictatorships, fascism, dies.  An interesting book, well presented.

RR: 4/5

The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About Relationships, by Neil Strauss

Notes: This book takes some very sharp turns. Based upon what he has learned about his relationships, including his relationships with his mother, significantly, and his father, this true story follows Strauss into the world of rehab, psychology, what patterns people use based upon their parents to find relationships, why that leads to mistakes again and again, and then his efforts to find what works best for him in relationships, including experiments in non-monogamy, building a harem, becoming celibate, and eventually getting married. Not for everyone, but an honest and wild ride here, with some deep truths that will make you think, especially in the first third of the book.

RR: 4/5

Attached, by Amir Levine MD and Rachel Heller

Notes: I enjoyed reading this book, as it does seem to ring a few truths. I’m still not sure how solid the psychology is here. My problem, if any, with this book is that it might be an example of a new book creating a new symptom, which seems to be the pattern in pop psychology books every few years. This book asks you to look at other potential relationship partners through a specific filter, and proposes that some people are relationship avoidant, and others have an anxiety and attachment personality, and the mismatch of these two styles (which the authors suggest comes completely from your relationship with your parents) causes most relationship problems. We all know relationships, or have been in relationships, where one party avoids someone, or is overly attached to someone, or vice versa. So, that seems to be somewhat of a simplification, but true. But whether matching those serves to make for better relationships didn’t seem to have much data presented to make it a proven truth, even if it is undeniably helpful. The book also focuses on looking for a relationship more than being helpful to someone that is in one.

RR: 4/5

An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist, by Richard Dawkins

Notes: Dawkins details his childhood and early years. I did not know that he grew up in Nairobi, Kenya, but this book describes his childhood in detail. The book describes his developing curiosity about the natural world, for many pages, as well as the design and results of several of his research projects, which unfortunately bog down the interest of the reader in details. His experiences at Berkeley, and Oxford, and the stunning success of The Selfish Gene as a best seller when he was in his late 20s, are described, interesting, and well written.

RR: 4/5

Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul, and, of course, Surfing, by Laird Hamilton

Notes: Laird Hamilton is a famous big wave surfer, who lives in Hawaii with his famous volleyball athlete wife Gabrielle Reese. And he is an interesting guy. Describing how he grew up on a farm, and peppered with descriptions about him from his friends, as well as nutrition (lots of meatloaf) and workout techniques, this is also a discussion about how he balances his life, and keeps his mind relaxed and focused. Although this is one part biography, one  “how great Laird is”, and one part self-help book, you can’t help but like and admire him and his advice.

RR: 4/5

Life is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment, by Peter Buffett

Notes: Peter Buffett is the son of Warren Buffett, (and a musician), and he wrote this book, it seems, in part to destroy the myth that being Buffett’s son meant he was privileged (as Warren Buffet has written elsewhere, he only gives his children $10,000 per year to encourage them to be independent (and because that is the gift tax limitation). The main message here is to “forge your own life”, and not live for other people. As he states, enjoying what you do in every moment outweighs any material goods or success, and material success should never be your goal.

RR: 4/5

The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield

Notes: Jack Canfield is a Southern California local and is often at Newport Beach business events. He is the co-author of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, and as you can imagine, sometimes has some cheesy, but motivational, advice. This book is very solid on common sense reminders of what makes for success and what makes you achieve your goals faster. Well done and concise summary of other success principles.

RR: 4/5

So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love, by Cal Newport

Notes: As I have noted in the past, many business books take one simple principle and pad it to a full-length book. That means that there is a lot of fluff and filler, but still a good idea that could be expressed in a much shorter length. This book is a perfect example. The central premise of this book is this: the life advice to follow your passion is terrible advice. The book then goes into how very few people at a young age know enough about life to choose something to be passionate about, and even if they do, they are bound to be wrong, at length. The world needs both garbage collectors and creative jobs with an impact on the world, but people tend to go into one and not the other. The author premises that the only way to get something valuable is to offer something in return. And the only way to do that, in turn, is to master a difficult skill. This book also argues that you must develop what it calls “career capital”, which comprises skills, relationships and a body of work, which can be a long and arduous process.

RR:4/5

Zag: The Number One Strategy of High Performance Brands, by Marty Neumeier

Notes: “When everybody zigs, zag,” is the message of this book, as to brand strategy. This is a simple book and short read, and the idea here is that in an extremely cluttered marketplace, traditional differentiation is no longer enough—today companies need “radical differentiation” to create lasting value for their shareholders and customers.

RR: 4/5

E=MC2, the Biography of an Equation, by David Bodanis

Notes: This book looks at the history of the famous equation, and the people and science behind developing the ideas that stand behind each side of the equals sign. The book is good and goes into the personalities that developed the atomic bomb and contemporaries of Einstein at the time of development of relativity. If you know nothing about the equation you will learn something.

RR: 4/5

Quantum Memory Power, by Dominic O’Brien

Notes: This is a very practical book. Dominic O’Brien is the world memory champion, and this book is filled with memory exercises, and game, and the memory exercises he goes over do work, and they’re not that difficult to learn. I wish this had a bigger focus on remembering names, which is always a challenge for me, but otherwise this book is great for teaching your brain to retain more information.

RR: 4/5

Six Thinking Hats, by Edward DeBono

Notes: This simple book has been around forever, and is somewhat famous in the corporate world in certain circles. I had never read it before this year. The idea here is found in the title, and it urges people considering a decision to look at it from six different angles. It works best when you explain to team members what each of the six roles are and then play act to get each of the opinions and point of views out, but even as one person considering a decision, this could force you to set aside irrational thoughts and take a decision through each filter and point of view, one by one, to come up with a better decision than just a pro/con list. Some of the information in the beginning and end might be a little outdated, but I found this book helpful and interesting.

RR: 4/5

Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future, by Michio Kaku

Notes: Professor Kaku, teaches theoretical physics at the City University of New York, and is famous for his television appearances, as well as his other books. Here he leads readers through what is the leading current theory of the state of the universe – that evidence is pointing to the multiverse–a world made up of multiple universes, of which ours is but one. Our universe is expanding, which is leading it to cool and eventually freeze, but Kaku believes that we may be able to focus on leaving for another universe, or time warp back into our own past. Most of this is pure speculation. But the arguments, the writing, and the details, are highly interesting.

RR: 4/5

How We Learn, by Benedict Carey

Notes: I found this book both important, and also extremely dry reading. “How We Learn” is focused on the process of enhancing and exercising learning. The book describes how learning happens only when we memorize, let time pass, rememorize, build routines, and then practice retrieving the information that is memorized. Carey also describes how sleep plays a vital role in our brain function and memorization, and can greatly enhance learning and might be the key to learning things thoroughly.

RR: 4/5

How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, by Mohsin Hamid

Notes: This book was recommended by a friend, and while the title sounds like a self-help book, this is a clever fiction book. Written by a narrator to instruct you, the protagonist, how to get rich, this describes growing up in Pakistan and falling in love, and dealing with ethical decisions, a love triangle, poverty, and company scandal. No one in this book is particularly likeable, but the style in which this story is told is highly interesting, and follows the reader through to the death of the main character. Only 240 pages, but a good quick fiction read.

RR: 4/5

3/5

You Can Be a Stock Market Genius, by Joel Greenblatt

Notes: I had read Greenblatt’s “The Little Book that Beats the Market”, and I like his writing style and his insights about the market. This very short book is a little more advanced, and presumes that you know financial world lingo and certain stock selection techniques (or what a value stock vs a growth stock is), but contains lots of practical advice if you want to try investing in the stock market on your own.

RR: 3/5

The Dinner, by Herman Koch

Notes: This novel is scheduled to be a motion picture this year, a fact I didn’t learn until after finishing this book. The book focuses on two couples at a trendy fancy restaurant, with interludes describing their dinner as well as focusing on the interactions between the four of them, and certain related family members. This book was translated from Dutch, and has descriptions and dialogue of each character that is both cool and collected on the outside, but seething and hateful on the inside, as well as descriptions that might require knowledge of Dutch culture to truly understand. The book itself has a plot and an ending that is somewhat shocking, but overall, except for some quirky dialogue, entertaining and interesting.

RR: 3/5

The Quiet Man: The Indispensable Presidency of George H.W. Bush, by John Sununu

Notes: This nonfiction book is a telling of the years that John Sununu acted as George H.W. Bush’s chief of staff. As such, it must have a certain bias to it, but Sununu has some interesting facts about running the White House. He details the philosophy of Bush, Sr. – That no one in politics should ever brag about anything, but let your work and your record speak for itself. The friendships and relationships that Bush had cultivated, and all the diplomatic activity, especially in Germany, Poland, Russia, and throughout Eastern Europe, during the sudden fall of the Soviet Union, was fascinating, both politically and as a story. The story of the “no new taxes” pledge and the conflict with the budget law requiring sequester of the government was also interesting, and Sununu seems to blame the media a little too much for the handling of that issue. The creation of the “Points of Light Foundation” (which merged with the Clinton Foundation) and how that came about, plus the 100 hour Iraq war and invasion, was fascinating. Sununu emphasizes throughout the fact checking that went into this book. Overall, a dry for some but interesting look at a slice of history.

RR: 3/5

Get the Life You Want: The Secrets to Quick and Lasting Life Change, by Richard Bandler

Notes: This is one of the books that popularized Neuro-linguistic Programming, and made for the rise of Anthony Robbins, among others. This book describes various mental and physical change techniques, and then takes you through application to many common problems. A little new-agey for my tastes, but can be helpful for some.

RR: 3/5

Succeed: How We Can Achieve Our Goals, by Heidi Grand Halverson

Notes: Halvorson is a psychologist, writer for Psychology Today and assistant professor of psychology. Her book tackles attainment of goals in every area of life from relationships to sports. This book rather tediously goes over many academic studies on self-esteem, motivation, and pursuit of goals. Like Wiseman’s 59 seconds, Halvorson says that you should not imagine yourself achieving goals, but rather see yourself defining and working towards a difficult to achieve result. “Don’t visualize success,” she warns. “Instead visualize the steps you will take to succeed.” Dry writing but a nugget of truth in this book.

RR: 3/5

Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, by Krista Tippett

Notes: Tippett is the host of a popular NPR show and podcast on religion, which I listen to. I had this book recommended by someone and was looking forward to it. The best part are the interviews with people she has had on her show in the past. The worst part is her name dropping without further discussion as to how that fits into her overall themes. Her book challenges readers to let go of assumptions, but since the book doesn’t seem to have much focus, (which can understandably come from trying to string together interviews with musicians and cosmologists, artists and preachers), you may wonder where the various interviews are going, along with her narration. There is some discussion of science, politics and philosophy as well as religion, but I had hoped for more with this book. One thing about her writing and the presentation of the various viewpoints here, is that everything is very, very upbeat and positive.

RR: 3/5

The Space Chronicles, by Neil Degrasse Tyson

Notes: This book is a collection of essays, some of which have appeared on in interviews, in articles, Tyson’s twitter account, and elsewhere. The opening essay was mind blowing to me, discussing how NASA doesn’t do what the world thinks it does – space exploration to further science. Instead, and he documents this in some detail, it is a massive political agency and jobs program, designed to repeat experiments that have already been done, employ people in the largest population states where voters exist, to keep them employed in jobs in the space industry, or in the case of Ohio, where over 80% of astronauts are from, a swing state that both sides of the aisle are competing to give prestige to. Unfortunately, the rest of the book, much of which are just his tweets from his twitter account, or transcripts of talk show appearances, aren’t as impactful as the strong start.

RR: 3/5

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Notes: On the other hand, McCullough, a famous biographer of personalities in American history, implies that the fact that the Wright Brothers, who were from Ohio, created the first military flight school, and because astronauts came from military flight, it makes sense that most of them are from Ohio. This book made me realize that I didn’t know half of the story of the Wright Brothers, including the obsession with testing and experimentation in design. The story of their successes and failures was fascinating, and as always with McCullough, well written. Many facts you may not know about the Wright Brothers appear in this entertaining read.

RR: 3/5

Particle Physics- An Introduction, by Frank Close

Notes: If you’ve ever been interested in what makes up individual atoms, and why they act so strange, this book is a great starting point. As you might expect, the material is a little dry, and this book never has any innovative teaching technique to explain each portion of the atomic elements in a way that’s easily understood. As other authors have noted, the model that most people know about the atom, that is on images and t-shirts, of the atom as particles orbiting around a nucleus, is wrong. This book isn’t entertaining, but it covers all the basics.

RR: 3/5

Brand Against the Machine: How to Build Your Brand, Cut Through the Marketing Noise, and Stand Out from the Competition, by John Michael Morgan

Notes: This book is written in a casual style, and invites people to take another look at branding. Branding is often looked at as a matter of logos and marketing materials. But focusing on a structure that can give your customers an emotional connection is probably more important. This book is short, and focuses on principles of branding, and is a great start for people that are looking to make the most of a new business.

RR: 3/5

Denial: Self-Deception, False Beliefs, and the Origins of the Human Mind by Ajit Varki and Danny Brower

Notes: The authors of this book met at a conference and had come up with similar ideas. Although one of them died suddenly of a heart attack, the other fleshed out the idea and created an interesting book. This book has research and documentation supporting an interesting hypothesis of how modern humans developed both (a) the ability to understand that they will die; and (b) immediately use denial to make this a benefit to natural selection through evolution. The authors here do a good job of making their case, although this is not an area that can be double blind tested or be subjected to much rigor as to alternative hypothesis. But it does explain why our brains act the way they do, and what value that had as humans developed.

RR: 3/5

True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor, by David Mamet

Notes: You may know David Mamet from his work as a playwright and producer of theater plays, or from his scripts and films. This is an older book, for actors, that seems to be mainly a critique of method acting. “The actor is onstage to communicate the play to the audience,” and Mamet invites actors not to do more. Developing good voice skills, good body skills, will do more than trying to “inhabit” or “interpret” a role. Along with this focus, there is much discussion on how to best handle auditions, not become self-absorbed, and to learn to relax.

RR: 2/5

King Warrior Magician Lover by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette

Notes: This is a book all about male stereotypes, and given that there are other books written for men, examining other similar male stereotypes in greater number, there may be overlap between the four selected here and others. In general, this is an examination on how others see men and how men see themselves, and how they often cause conflict, confusion, overlap, and purpose. An interesting read, but somewhat simplifies some more complex psychology, and could have gone into the evolutionary and cultural history of each stereotype more. This could have examined interesting fairy tales and / or historical examples, but is told in a drier fashion.

RR: 2/5

The Art of Non-Fiction, by Ayn Rand

Notes: This book, by the noted author of Atlas Shrugged, is in part a biography, and in part advice on presenting non-fiction in ways that are interesting. Unfortunately, the book is not interesting, in that it is the transcript of a lecture given by Rand that was never meant to be a book.

RR: 2/5

My Father, My President: A Personal Account of the Life of George H.W. Bush

Notes: This book was written by the daughter of George Bush Sr. (Did you even know he had a daughter?) It has some anecdotes about the family, but in general is too short and too uninteresting (and by virtue of that relationship, likely too biased) to be of much interest. While there were a few facts here that made the book unique, none of them seemed important enough to warrant an entire book.

RR: 2/5

The Brain Fog Fix, by Dr. Mike Dow

Notes: I was interested in reading this book. The book discusses both diet and exercise, and is heavily into supplements. Some recommendations, like the admonition to “eat fish at every meal”, might sound promising, but upon reflection, it does depend on what type of fish (mercury poisoning and toxicity is very real), and the way the fish was raised also is a factor. Lots of the supplements and recommendations here are unproven, and some don’t even seem to be common sense.

RR: 2/5

Keeping it Real (Quantum Gravity) by Justina Robson

Notes: I’m almost embarrassed to have read the next two books, but they were from an author recommended by a good friend as mindless fiction. This first book is about special agent Lila Black who is a cyborg (yeah, ugh), who is constantly going into combat mode. She is in love with a rock star, who is an elf (yeah, ugh), and lead singer of a rock band, and has to fight demons and work with fairies (yeah, ugh), with an ending that depends on so much magic that it doesn’t even make sense. Not that any of it would make much sense anyway.

RR: 1/5

Selling Out, by Justina Robson

Notes: Proving I can be a glutton for punishment, in the second book in the series, Lila Black (again, the cyborg and special agent) has an elf necromancer that lives inside her, as a cutesy narrator describing what is going on throughout the novel. Her mission here is to investigate a “quantum bomb explosion” and learn how her boyfriend went to hell (yeah, ugh) and become part demon (yeah, double ugh). Her other identity requires her to just go to fancy parties. Skip.

RR: 1/5

Swallowing Darkness, by Lauren Hamilton

Notes: This is another fantasy fiction, about a woman who becomes queen of the fairies, and is the most beautiful and fair and nonviolent person in the land. Until she begins stabbing people with their own sword (seriously). My first draft of this book list had actual quotes that make no sense directly from the book, but since that was deleted, and I have no interest in reopening that book, those must be lost forever. Fiction was not good to me this year due to books like this.

RR: 1/5

Dry: A Memoir, by Augustin Burroughs

Notes: Burroughs is the author of the book “Running with Scissors”, which I have not read, but is about his childhood. And from the glimpses in this autobiographical book, his childhood was horrible. There is a certain type of biographical non-fiction that deals with persons and cultures outside of the norm – poor children growing up in other countries, or black youth struggling in the inner city, or other cultures or languages that are interesting and profound. This seems to be trying to achieve that, but since its subject is primarily about addiction (in this case, the author’s alcohol, cocaine, and heroin addictions), and his struggles to find love in the gay community, avoid AIDS, and deal with death around him, it could be a profound glimpse into another world. I support the catharsis and documentation of life experiences after a struggle. But seeing the author relapse again and again, and not even seem to care who he hurt or if he were to die from his addiction, was a tough read. I read all the way through, but the discussion of 12 step programs, and gay health practices, and not even caring about drugs or alcohol but going back to them again and again for something to do, was not inspiring, not interesting past the first time, and even depressing. I wish Burroughs well, and I’m sorry he must deal with so much death and addiction without progress.

RR: 1/5

2015 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2015/

2014 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2014/

2013 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2013/

2012 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2012/

2011 Reading List:http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2011/

2010 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2010/

2009 Reading List: http://www.robert-miller.com/books-read-2009/

2009 was another great year for me and books – enjoyed reading 19 books (not counting several additional audiobooks), and really learned a lot, good and bad, from each of them. I discovered that I can juggle more than one book at a time (not recommended), and I really miss the deep connection with the love of reading when I don’t have a book in my hand (or briefcase). An appeal for help: I’m thinking of starting a book club – if anyone is interested, please let me know!

Reading Journal

Books I’ve read or am Reading

Einstein, by Walter Isaacson

Started: June, 2009

Notes: Very interesting book, although somewhat dry. Had some interesting facts about Einstein’s personal life that were not otherwise known. Has a discussion of Einstein’s complex and misunderstood religious views, but that part of the book is much much too short, as is the brush about Einstein’s formative observation of the policies of Nazi Germany.

Finished: December, 2009

Everyman, by Phillip Roth (Fiction)

Started: December, 2009

Notes: A story about the life and health of a man, a jeweler obsessed with watches from a young age, and contains interesting musings on death and family, infidelity and is told in a casual, insightful style.

Finished:

Good to Great, by Jim Collins

Started: July, 2009

Notes: I am convinced that the data allegedly presented as hard science is pseudo-science and makes “just so stories” about the value of great leaders (what he calls level 5 leaders). Almost all of the companies profiled went straight into the ground.

Finished: December, 2009

48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene

Started: October, 2009

Notes: Great stories from history about power, although often contradictory. The stories, most of them unknown, are truly fascinating and inspiring.

Finished: November, 2009

The 50th Law, by Robert Greene and 50 Cent

Started: November, 2009

Notes: Everything I didn’t know about 50 Cent, but also very much a treatise on independence, and doing your own thing in accordance with your own rules. “momentum in life comes from increased fluidity, a willingness to try more, to move in a less constricted fashion. “It might seem that intense feelings of love, hate, or anger can be used to impel you forward on some project, but that is an illusion. Such emotions give you a burst of energy that falls quickly and leaves you as low as you were high. Rather, you want a more balanced emotional life, with fewer highs and lows. This not only helps you keep moving and overcoming petty obstacles, but it also affects people’s perceptions of you. They come to see you as someone who has grace under pressure, a steady hand, and they will turn to you as a leader.

Finished:

How to Live on 24 Hours A Day, by Arnold Bennett,

Started: October, 2009

Notes: 1910 book about the value of reading and self improvement. Short, but really a gem. Author recommends avoiding small talk at pubs or with family and to make yourself a better person by reading the works of great men, starting with Marcus Aurelius.

Finished Nov. 16, 2009

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, by Benjamin Franklin

Started Nov 4, 2009

Notes: Fascinating how much travel was done in the 18th century. Early on Franklin talks about being an atheist, but afraid of saying so because of what others would think.

Finished

100 Ways to Succeed/Make Money, by Tom Peters

Started: October 30, 2009

Notes: Short blurbs, sometimes doesn’t even make sense. Information repeated elsewhere that is relevant about the value of having great customer service, preparation, an image, etc. Peters is big on knowing Twitter, tech, etc., which makes tons of sense, and also learning about China. Very very different from other Tom Peters books – almost makes you wonder if he really wrote this book. “Hipness is the only asset that matters.”—Paul Saffo, futurist, on Apple

Finished:

Flipping the Funnel, by Seth Godin

Started: October, 2009

Notes: A very fun read, full of interesting concepts and new ways of looking at business and how to get “raving fans”.

Finished: December, 2009

The Miracle of Mindfulness, by Thich Nhat Hanh

Started: 2008

Notes: Based on original vietnamese notes from the 1960s, with very much filler from other authors. Somewhat advanced, although Hanh’s stories about monastery life, and Tolstoy’s story about the Emperor, are gems. A description from a third party about a speech during the Vietnam War that was interrupted by an angry audience member is also valuable as a lesson about breath meditation.

Finished: November 30, 2009.

After the Ectasy, the Laundry, by Jack Kornfield

Started: November, 2009

Notes: Kornfield’s writing is really so, so dry. He has a few (too few) humorous anecdotes, and he has some great stories from classic buddhism’s texts. Some great insights here.

Finished:

Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth

Started: November, 2008

Notes: The parts in India are the best. Really a great primer on why people meditate and what the benefits are (and the problems). A strong opinion on antidepressants, and great stories of love and self deprecation. Unique ways of looking at things, including this quote: Everywhere you go in the world, you’ll see some of the same stuff- the African guys selling knock off handbags, the Guatemalan band playing “I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail”, and “no anorexic or bulimic supermodel can ever appear skinnier than an indian teen boy, whose necks sprout of of their white dress shirt school uniforms like a lone flower in a vase.”

Finished: December, 2009.

The Now Habit, by Neil Fiore

Started: January, 2008

Notes: An excellent discussion about how the mind rebels against perceived hard work, perceptions of projects that have too much at stake, and the value of reframing projects into small steps that can just be started (the finishing will take care of itself). The book revolves around the idea of an “unschedule”, and breaking work down into 25 minute increments that can just be started. Making leisure time a priority will make the time you are working more valuable.

Finished: December, 2009

Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash on your Passion, by Gary Vaynerchuk

Started: November, 2009

Notes: Not sure if Gary is crazy or just really really enthusiastic. His story is amazing, and he might suffer from success retroanalyzing as to why everything he touched is successful (I just made up that term). You can’t help but get infected with his great energy and his story is certainly inspiring for how the web can build a multi million dollar business from business cards to wine, if you know what to look for, know how to deeply infuse your passion into what you do, and can act on new opportunities as they arise.

Finished:

A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle

Started: March, 2008

Notes: Love the factually accurate talk about the rise of flowers and the fall of dinosaurs. I wanted to like this book, but the narrative is not terribly cohesive or helpful. There are always nuggets in a book like this, but I was hoping that this book would be much better.

Finished: December, 2009

The Courage to be Rich, by Suze Orman

Started: December, 2009

Notes: More aggressive than her previous works, Suze writes with an angry tone, spurring the reader towards action.

Finished:

Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell

Started: January, 2009

Notes: When you start determines success – more wealth, more billionaires were created by men born between 1830 and 1835 than ever again (to capitalize on the wealth created after the Civil War). Most current self made billionaires were born between 1950 and 1955 – because they were of college age when the computer revolution was occurring. Like all of Gladwell’s books, my criticism is that he bases all of his ideas on anecdotes – which makes him sometimes a good storyteller, but lacks data, research, or the heart of the scientific method. As a result, mistakes uncovered by data analysis, like Leavitt in Freakonomics, embarasses Gladwell, who doesn’t do the hard work, i.e., crunching the data. It’s sort of fashionable to bash Gladwell now for his glaring errors (read yet another article today), but he is a great writer.

Finished: December, 2009

The E Myth Revisted, by Michael Gerber

Started: September, 2007

Notes: A simple but amazing book, with the following revelations: (1) Most people start small businesses because they love to do something in particular; (2) Most people fail in businesses because they don’t know how to manage and lead the business in new directions as needed; (3) Most franchises focus on the procedure, not the people, and succeed by that. Businesses need to focus on best practices for absolutely everything, focus on the consumer, and test everything and train based on a well written and researched procedure manual and training.

Finished: January, 2008

The Internet Entrepreneur, by Mitch Morris

Started: December, 2009

Notes: What a disappointment. Someone gave me this book, but I felt ripped off and a little angry that this self published (and beautifully bound and printed) book is actually a giant advertisement for a downloaded course that the author hopes you’ll spend thousands on. Boo.

Finished: December, 2009

Flipping the Funnel, by Seth Godin

Started: October, 2009

Notes: A short book, but a great read, on how advertising and marketing has changed in the digital web age. When everything you do can be all over the internet, contains an urge to control that flow by being different, and making sure that everything you do creates “raving fans”.

Finished: November, 2009

A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson

Started: March, 2009

Notes: Fascinating tidbits about all sciences, including much that even I didn’t know. Everything in this book is told with a healthy sense of (mainly British) humor, and is absolutely fascinating. Probably doesn’t live up to the “everything” in the title, but the history of the past 200 years of science is well told for each of the sciences.

Finished: December, 2009

The Four Hour Workweek Expanded Edition

Started : December, 2009

Notes: An amazing book. Draws from (steals from) many other sources, and sometimes is self congratulatory and all over the place, but the 40% of the book about goals, time management, and excitement, is really solid.

Finished: (first edition finished in March, 2008. Still working on expanded edition, which was just released December 11, 2009, and is substantially beefed up).

2010 was another great year for me and books – this was the year I started my book club (shout out and holla to my fellow members!), and I enjoyed reading 21 books (not counting several additional audio books).  Through each one of them, I  really learned a lot, good and bad.  I’ve tagged a few of you here because I have discussed at least one of these books with you, or I know how much you love reading (or you still haven’t returned a book of mine!).   I love reading, and this year, I bought more books than ever, as evidenced by the stack of backlogged books by my bed and in my briefcase.  So, my goal this year is to finish 2 books per month or more.  Here’s to a literate and meaningful 2011!  

The Courage to be Rich, by Suze Orman

Started:  December, 2009

Notes:  More aggressive than her previous works, Suze writes with an angry tone, spurring the reader towards action.  Like many of her books, a great read, and not the usual financial literature.

Finished: March, 2010

The Four Hour Workweek Expanded Edition

Started :  December, 2009

Notes:  An amazing book.  Draws from (steals from) many other sources, and sometimes is self congratulatory and all over the place, but the 40% of the book about goals, time management, and excitement, is really solid.

Finished: March, 2010

The Autobiography of Frederick Douglass

Started:  December, 2009

Notes:  A detailed look into the life of slaves in the 19th century.  An amazing, and inspirational story.  And the story of slave whippings, relations between slaves, the songs of the slaves of the South, relations between masters and slaves, and the touching, very sad story of Douglass’ mother really touched me.  The eye opening power of literacy, the lessons about standing up for yourself, and the sudden escape that made Douglass a free man was incredibly inspirational.  This is a must read for anyone in life in my opinion.

Finished: February 20, 2010.

In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan

Started:  March, 2009

Notes: An eye opening book – written in an engaging, very reasonable style that makes a good argument against “nutritionalism”, and ultimately teaches all who read it how to eat.

Finished: September, 2010

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan

Started:  March, 2009

Notes: The author’s attempt to follow food up the food chain is hilarious and well written.  His attempt to forage and find his own food for a meal for him and friends is an amazing adventure.

Finished: May, 2010

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Started:  January, 2010

Finished:  January, 2010

Notes:  I wanted to like this book more than I really did.  I think there are some nuggets here, and who could argue with the power of relationships and of what’s truly important in our lives?  But in some parts he comes across as an obsessed overly self important jerk, sorry to say about the dead.

Peace is Every Step, by Thich Nhat Hanh

Started: 2008

Notes:  One of Hanh’s better books, with individual essays and meditations on how even small things can remind us of the path towards peace and mindfulness.  A very much lighthearted book, with a dandilion flower on the cover, from a story of a California student who said that every time they see a flower, they are reminded that the flower holds their smile for them until they are able to smile again.  

Finished:  January, 2010

Money and the Law of Attraction, by Abraham (Jerry and Esther) Hicks

Started:  2008

Notes:  Ugh.  This book is a mess and full of platitudes, some of which are even dangerous, like avoiding doctors, not obtaining health insurance, etc.  Avoid this book.

Finished:  January, 2010

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, by Jay Bernstein

Started:  February, 2010

Notes: Very concise well presented book about marketing truisms.  The book is somewhat dated, being from 1993, but has classic real world examples from the world of Sodas, Car Rentals, Airplanes, Freight/Delivery, and consumer goods.  Some have suggested that in the internet era, this book is irrelevant.  I have to say, in my personal opinion, “yes and no”.  The book has some information about the way the mind perceives information and how marketing categories and competition works that are timeless.  The easy access of information on the internet supports good products better, but it’s still better to have a great perception than a great product.

Finished:  February, 2010

“This business has legs”: How I Used Infomercial Marketing to Create the $100,000,000 Thigh Master Craze, by Peter Bieler

Started: June, 2010

Notes: A very entertaining, but also helpful, account of the thigh master craze, the filming of informercials, and how products are brought to success.  Even though this starts out self-congratulatory (and ends somewhat the same way), this is much more enjoyable than the typical business book.

Finished: July, 2010

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coehlo

Started:  July, 2010

Notes:  A slow starting story about a boy who herds sheep, has a dream, sells his sheep, goes to Africa and gets ripped off, works for a year to regain money to travel, travels through the desert, finds an oasis, learns how to read omens and how to find his purpose and treasure, meets an alchemist, gets captured by Bedoins, loses all of his money, goes to the pyramids, and uses money saved for him to return home and finds his fortune, and then travel back to his one true love, this book works on many levels.

Finished:  July, 2010

Soul Proprietor:  101 Lessons from a Lifestyle Entrepreneur, by Jane Pollack.

Started:  July, 2010

Notes:  Not as tightly written as it could have been, this is a list of 101 lessons, with personal stories, that is sometimes contradictory, and sometimes very inspirational, even if not terribly helpful.  What is not well defined is the story of an egg artist who maximized her artwork production by outsourcing, making contacts and getting press from very high up, and not giving up, as this is more an inspirational tale.  There are some great nuggets here, but it’s not necessarily an easy flowing read.  

Finished:  September, 2010

On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin

Started: September, 2010

Notes: I’m surprised at how much time Darwin spent on the “artificial selection” of breeders of farm animals, although in retrospect it makes sense and sets up his book.

Finished:  Check back in 2011…

Words that Matter from O, the Oprah Magazine.

Started: September, 2010

Notes: Short, small, quotes 

Finished:  Not even really a “book”, but there were some nuggets here. 

Vagabonding, by Ralph Potts

Started:  September, 2010

Notes: Potts is so right – so many of us defer our dreams of travel when we don’t have to.  So many amazing ideas, thoughts, concepts and quotes from this little book.  A few examples:  We see long term travel to faraway lands as a recurring dream or temptation but not something that applies to the here and now.  In this way, travel becomes just another accessory – a smooth-edged, encapsulated experience tht we purchse the same way we buy clothing and furniture.  Purchsing a package vacation to find a simpler life is kind of like using a mirror to see wht you look like when you aren’t looking into the mirror. Every environmental disaster or bad news makes Americans seek to save the Earth by purchasing “environmental” products.  That manages to make people feel better about the situation without having to make any serious lifestyle changes, but the thing that helps the environment the most – to buy, and use, less things, is the opposite of using eco-friendly green products to sell more stuff.  Despite several millenia of warnings, there is still an overwhelming social complusion to get rich from life rather than live richly, to do well in the world instead of living well.  Most of us remain convicend that just a little more money will set life right.  In reality, long-term travel has nothing to do with demographics – age, ideology, income – and everything to do with personal outlook. Long-term travel doesn’t require a massive “bundle of cash”; it requires only that we walk through the world in a more deliberate way.”

Highly recommended.

Finished: November, 2010

The Art of the Start, by Guy Kawasaki

Started:  November, 2010

Finished:  November 2010

Notes: Short book with surprisingly practical advice on how to start groups, projects, and geared towards starting companies and growing them in the internet age.  Is especially strong with how to present ideas and make pitches and presentations, and how to bootstrap a company.

Palm Reading for Beginners, by Richard Webster

Started: October, 2010

Finished:  November, 2010

Notes:  Completely without even the appearance of any scientific support, this book goes into every detail about lines on the hand, fingerprints, lines on the fingers, the shape of the hands and the fingers, and wavers enough with potential interpretations to apply to everyone.  A great discussion in the beginning of what you can tell about people from their overall posture and “look”, without even looking at the hands, and from what people are looking for in a reading, to make this a good discussion on cold reading.

The Way of the Superior Man, by David Deida

Started:  June, 2010

Finished: December, 2010  

Notes:  Surprisingly hard to read for a new-age book, this book takes some contemplation, but has insights on the differences between men and women, what women are looking for from men (and vice-versa), the importance of knowing and staying on your purpose, and a lot to think about regarding being a man and being comfortable being a man, and the challenges of women, “other women”, and staying on your course.  This book may take me a while to digest (especially all the advice on proper orgasms, ha ha).

The Greatest Show on Earth, by Richard Dawkins

Started:  June, 2010

Finished:  December, 2010

Notes:  I read this book casually through this year, and it’s organized as evidence for evolution, and the case made is compelling, from a number of sources.  Some of the material might be repetitive from Dawkin’s other works, but as always, the writing is incredibly clear and the book is amazingly well written, and entertaining, which is Dawkin’s strength as a writer.  This book is illustrated, although I read most of this via audiobook.  Highly recommended. 

The Way of the Traveler, by Joseph Dispenza

Started:  December, 2010

Finished: Check back in 2011…

Notes:  This is my kind of book.  It explores the deep meaning that travel can have, should have, and always has, if you don’t hide yourself from it.  This book was recommended in the Vagabonding book that so impressed me earlier this year, and I enjoy the author’s take, from ancient history to the present, on how making a pilgrimage, even down your block, can lead to significant personal growth in our lives.

Like Ive done in 2009 (https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=249747479539), and in 2010 (https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150111268299540), here’s a collection of the books I’ve read in 2011. At the end of last year, I committed to reading 24 books, or an average of 2 books a month, and this year I actually read 32 books in their entirety, or an average of 2.6 per month. Even more importantly this year, despite committing to reading more about health and happiness, I tackled some longer books I wanted to read, including Atlas Shrugged (over 1100 pages), On the Origin of the Species (over 600 pages), the Four Hour Body (500+ pages) and Unbroken (500 pages). I want to thank each and every judge that didn’t take the bench on time, the prosecutors that had long coffee breaks, the clerks that brought donuts, and all the long chambers conferences in court that kept me reading this year. 🙂

I tagged some of you because you made book selections, becuase you’ve expressed an interest, because we’ve discussed many of these books, and/or because we’re friends and I wanted to share.

I’ve already planned for a full year of reading in 2012… can’t wait!

Although of Course you End up Being Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace

Started/Finished: December 2010/January 2011

Notes: Although I’m not a fan of Wallace’s fiction and think his writing style is impenetrable in an unforgiving way, these non-fiction essays are both touching hilarious and this is a fun read, despite the suicide of the subject and the indications of severe depression throughout the book. It’s a pleasure sometimes to see highly intellectualized writers as writers, and explore the way they think, and view the world. This is part travelogue, very much part therapy session, and has a lot for fans of writers and books about the difference between entertainment and self improvement of your mind and your craft.

Robert Rating (RR): 4/5

On the Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin

Started/Finished: September, 2010/January 2011

Notes: I’m surprised at how much time Darwin spent on the “artificial selection” of breeders of farm animals, although in retrospect it makes sense and sets up his book. The book is much different than I thought it would be in many ways, although it’s amazing that it’s still controversial. A real eye opener, then and now. Just amazing that this book is over 600 pages, took over 20 years to write, and is so misunderstood as far as what it contains. It is a surprisingly easy read (being both from the Victorian Era, British, and Scientific), but since the author has clearly done his work of observation, testing, and analysis, it’s impossible to dispute the findings. An important idea throughout this book, and certainly an important book literature wise and scientifically.

Robert Rating (RR): 5/5

The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality, by the Dalai Lama

Started/Finished: January 2011/January 2011

Notes: I knew of the Dalai Lama’s interest in the scientific method from the writings of Carl Sagan (especially the Demon Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark), but here, the Dalai Lama writes clearly about his first experiences looking through a gifted telescope as a child and creating a hypothesis about what he saw on the moon (a hypothesis which contradicted strict Buddhist teachings), and, although this book doesn’t have a strong agenda, argues that portions of religion that don’t fit scientific scrutiny need to be revised (using the creation myths of Buddhism as an example). This book was a joy to read and didn’t feel like he was trying to shoehorn religion into the findings of science, as other books do. Enjoyable and an easy read.

Robert Rating (RR): 5/5

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, by Marshall Rosenberg

Started/Finished: January, 2011/January 2011

Notes: Was recommended this book by a teacher at the OC Zen Center and found this a fascinating review of communication. The words “nonviolent communication” turned me off from reading this for a while, but I found the stories of work with prisoners, monks, and practicing ways to communicate more effectively invaluable. This book gives a four step process to lead to respectful and compassionate communication in all relationship types. The writing is clear and interesting.

(RR): 5/5

Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill, by Matthieu Ricard

Started/Finished: January, 2011/January 2011

Notes: I was intrigued to read this book, after hearing about the author, his story about leaving the life of a Parisian intellectual to become a month, and the French translator for the Dalai Lama. When his brain was scanned as part of a data gathering experiment, the regions of his brain associated with happiness showed him to be “the happiest man in the world”. In this book he goes into theories and thoughts (and many quotes) about happiness, but the gem of this book, and his story, are his unique meditative techniques for increasing happiness, and his general attitude of how developing happiness takes daily practice, with immense rewards. Despite his pedigree, this was a very inspiring and even simple book. Highly recommended.

RR: 5/5

Getting Things Done, by David Allen

Started/Finished: January, 2011/Jan 2011

Notes: This is a famous book in the productivity (and tech) world. And it led me to a revelation that most of the organization of what we do depends on being good at a few key skills: Remembering inspiration or mundane things when they strike, being impeccable with your word (to use the language of the four agreements – see below), moving forward on everything you commit to, large projects or small tasks, delegating, calendaring, and keeping track of. The use of “ubiquitous capture”, in the language of the book, and low or high tech ways to do that, and context-based lists, make this easy to understand and a big change in the way I have done things (first hearing of this system in late 2007 and finally getting around to reading the book). The problem with this book, and many many business books, is that it takes a central simple to understand concept, or in this case many concepts, and stretches it out with stories, personal anecdotes, fluff and padding, and appeals to other disciplines to make a full length book, which ends up frustrating those looking for nuggets and watering down the whole. Still, the system is solid, although may not work for everyone, and is tested and can be tweaked to fit anyone. It may be best to get the general concepts from some of the websites and reviews of this book, rather than reading this particular book, in my opinion.

RR: 4/5

The Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey

Started/Finished: April, 2011

Notes: Enjoyed this, despite the very strong Southern Baptist Christian based point of view, tone, and continual bible references,which just seemed to stick out in an odd manner. Very good common sense busting of many financial myths and a great seven step “baby steps” formula for going from being in poor financial shape to being rich, slowly. Even as a connoisseur of financial writing, I found some nuggets in the way this “system” was presented, and learned something here.

RR: 5/5

Smart Women Finish Rich, by David Bach

Started/Finished: April, 2011

Notes: Received this book as part of a promotion, and I always enjoy this author, even if he takes credit for some of the ideas of others. Discusses why automation is the way to go when it comes to your finances. Much of this seemed very repetitive compared to much of his other work, but sometimes the lessons bear repeating. Unfortunately, this is not his strongest book and seemed to be put out just for the Oprah visit, and of course, the cash. As many psychologists and others in the finance world have shown in studies, automating as much as possible with your finances is the way to move towards financial independence effortlessly.

RR: 3/5

The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz

Started/Finished: April, 2011

Notes: I didn’t think I was going to like this book, at all, but it was recommended by a friend and I enjoyed the author’s take on self sabotage and the other topics in the book. Well written, although this book is written very, very simply, and it’s best if you don’t think too much about the “hidden/revealed Toltec truths” that supposedly inspired this book. The discussion on the harmfulness of gossip is worth the price of the book, but it also takes a deep look at how we speak to ourselves, and how that “word” to us is powerful and can damage or help you deeply. However, I am sure that almost everyone that reads this and has their mind somewhat open can realize that life is not always as black and white as presented in the book, and sometimes it takes more than four laws to navigate human discourse and interactions.

RR: 4/5

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey

Started/Finished: April, 2011

Notes: I read this book in 1997, but thought it was time for a revisit. This is one of my least favorite business/motivational/self help books. Rambles on and on about each “topic” way too long, as if he was trying to fill each chapter with meaningless information to support the main points. Even the main points are not well defined, and this book is not well written, even though it’s a perennial best seller and has made millions. Not one of the strongest business books, or even self help books. The point about priorities, long term goals, and “big rocks”, as the book defines that, is an excellent reminder to take care of what matters and be mindful of what context it’s in.

RR: 2/5

Horns, by Joe Hill

Started/Finished: August, 2010/May, 2011

A fun and fascinating mystery/fantasy of a man determined to solve two mysteries -one involving himself and the newly formed horns growing out of his head, and the death of the love of his life, his girlfriend. Lots of humor, lots of dramatic moments, a good fun read from the son of Stephen King. I don’t read a ton of fiction, but enjoyed this, even though it took me a while to get it out of the bag and start on it. Very very enjoyable and a fun and somewhat suspenseful read (with a sad ending).

RR: 5/5

Unbroken, by Laura Hillibrand

Started/Finished: June, 2011/September, 2011

The true story of a South Bay track star named Louie who qualified as a runner on the Olympic team and then fought in World War II (Sound familiar? That’s my dad’s name and his story is very similar!) Deeper than that coincidence, this is also a story about how devastating loss of hope and hate is, and how redemption happened to him personally. Great writing, amazing imaginative visualization of the war in the Pacific and in Japan from start to finish, but much about what happened after the war. The tragedy of war, the great suffering of Americans in Japan as prisoners of war, the hate that fueled his alcoholism, failed marriage, and plot to return to Japan to assassinate a prison guard, and then a total reversal of that way of thinking and a great change to his life makes for an amazing story. Hillibrand gets full credit for researching and fleshing out the details of this best seller and to her credit she is agoraphobic and never met Louie Zamperini. She provides all the details, the thrilling writing, and makes this an amazing read cover to cover.

RR: 5/5

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Started/Finished: July, 2011/July 2011

Notes: 336 pages, and the author’s thoughts, and study, on when people are performing at their absolute best, is a thrilling read. I had heard enough about this book to want to tackle it, and was truly curious about it. Although athletes, students, musicians, artists, leaders in business and elsewhere talk about being in a “flow state”, what they really mean is a type of happiness (and the altered state of being in supreme happiness while performing something you love). Being a researcher is a completely different skill set than being an author (or lecturer), and Csikszentmihalyi is clear and compelling at all three (so is Richard Wiseman, below). The first five chapters have the meat of the theory and how it’s applied to maximize your exposure to true “flow” states, but the rest of the book, with examples and great storytelling, was fantastic.

RR: 5/5

59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman

Started/Finished: Jun 2011/July 2011

Notes: I love the UK’s Richard Wiseman, a psychologist, and his friendly writing style. This book is one of his smallest (at xx pages) but could be considered his magnum opus, as it distills thousands of psychological studies and decades of research into a truly scientific based examination of self help and pop culture beliefs, and answers the question, as best psychological studies can, “how should we live”? Has information on the best way to set and accomplish goals, the best way to impress a member of the opposite sex, how to have fulfilling relationships, how to get your wallet back, how to make people like you, what to talk about to increase truet, and importantly, how to make yourself happier. I loved this book, and took detailed notes that ended up being almost 100 pages, and read and re-read certain chapters. Highly recommended.

RR: (5/5)

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand

Started/Finished: July, 2011/September, 2011

Notes: 1168 pages. Ouch. As I mentioned, this was the year I wanted to tackle many longer and larger books that were important, I had heard about, and wanted to experience as a reader. This is such a famous book, but I found it hard to describe – a mystery? Science fiction? Economic/political thriller? All of the above, and more (several hundred pages more). I couldn’t have picked a better year to read this book, as not only a film adaptation of this novel was released this year, but also references in politics, and in the Occupy Wall Street happenings in culture, a reference to this book influencing Steve Jobs, and a popular documentary about Ayn Rand constantly invite references to this novel again and again.

I found the writing style dry and difficult, but the concepts powerful. I see why the majority of US Citizens point to it as the book that had the most influence on their life (after the Bible and The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck), but the concepts of government and business, and the production of goods, the victim mentality, and the need for freedom for humans to perform at their best, struck me as uncontroversial, although not everyone seems to share that opinion. Technically, the references to oil and railroads seems a little dated in a technology based society, and I found myself wanting to get the story moving along at several points where long monologues are explored to expose wide open philosophy in the plot points. But overall a great read and one I am glad I am finished (and don’t have to read twice).

RR: 4/5

The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene

Read/Finished July, 2011

Notes: Loved this book. After reading the Rules of Power and the Biography of 50 Cent, by the same author, I couldn’t wait to get into this one, which I see still in bookstores everywhere. (I don’t believe it’s a best seller, or was, but it should be). This book is definitely not what most people will assume from the title. What is is, however, is so much better – it’s historical examples from some of the most amazing stories in history, from Napoleon to ancient Rome, some tragic, and all with lessons about human frailty, victimhood, success and failure. As a fun history book, if nothing else, this book is a very, very compelling read. You almost can’t help see patterns in yourself, and in other people, through some of the examples in this book, and of course, human nature hasn’t changed much in hundreds, even thousands of years. Sometimes there are reasons for the persons we find compelling, and those reasons might be within ourselves, or with the qualities and nature of the other. Take notes on this book.

RR: 5/5

Don’t Bite the Hook, by Pema Chodron

Started/Finished: July, 2011

Notes: I listened to the audiobook version of this book. Basically, this is well known buddhist teacher Pema Chodron using a student and a live audience to discuss the buddhist teachings from The Way of the Bodhisattva, a well known 8th century poem/text. The book invites people to look at patterns and find ways out of those patterns, not always involving much more than self awareness. Some of the terms may be unfamiliar with those without a background in Buddhism. A good reminder to avoid the triggers we all have, keep mindful of our tendency towards attachment, and not fall into the trap of reacting to negativity.

RR: 3/5

The Four Hour Body, by Tim Ferriss

Started/Finished: January, 2011/July, 2011

Notes: Another larger book (592 pages), but this book is organized by category, with the suggestion to only read what interests you. And, although there were chapters on improving running, swimming, life extension, the fifteen minute orgasm (note: this is not what you think), building “super freak” status muscles, the chapters on weight loss were what interested me. Full disclosure: I am a huge Tim Ferriss fan, and support him and thank him for his book the 4 hour workweek. But this is not to the quality standards of the 4 hour work week. Some of this is supported by science, some of it is bizarre, and some of it may work for some and not others. The weight loss chapter was interesting and a little contradictory, but it’s the best chapter in the book. I did try the four supplements mentioned, bought a kettle bell, did the ice water baths and followed the diet, but didn’t have the results promised and found it hard to follow. A good practical read if you keep an open mind.

RR: 4/5

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Started/Finished: July, 2011/August, 2011

Notes: A gripping, interesting, brutal and funny well written book about a future, where teens from each province fight to the death in the “Hunger Games”. When a friend recommended this book, I didn’t know what to make of it, other than a book popular with teens that was being made into a movie. It is certainly science fiction, taking place in a future America where the government cruelly and severely restricts and oppresses the residents of the member states. Although the book is published by Scholastic and is meant for young adults, it seemed very brutal for that market. I have only read this one book, and also was unprepared for this to suddenly end without resolution (so that the next book can pick up where this left off). Still, a great concept for a book, and very interesting. Can’t wait to read the other books in 2012 and see the film.

RR: 4/5

Call Me Ted, by Ted Turner

Started/Finished: September, 2011/December, 2011

Notes: Can’t help but admire and like Ted Turner, even though he’s a brash jerk sometimes. A great and interesting read, and he deserves much credit for his hard work in building up a media empire from nearly nothing in Atlanta to become one of the largest media shareholders in the world. His misogyny and failed relationships with women are discussed with honesty, as is his later charity work, his difficult relationships with his children, and the interests that have his passion – sailing and the America’s Cup, saving the American Bison, and his pledge to help stop nuclear war. The book has “Ted Stories”, from everyone from Jimmy Carter to Ted’s sons, that fill in funny and often not flattering details about this man. After reading this biography, which was fully entertaining, I realized that Ted Turner is not the type of person you’d really want as a friend, but is an amazing businessman and a credit to the planet for his charity work and his work in breaking up the network news monopoly.

RR: 5/5

The Language of Letting Go, by Melody Beattie

Started/Finished: September, 2011

Notes: Can’t remember who recommended this book to me or why I chose it, but it’s a book about dealing with addicts, which is part of my professional life. The author is known for her famous book on co-dependency. This book is more short statements, suggestions, affirmations, and poems, one for each day to meditate on and think about. A very simple book, but a good reminder for those of us that do a little too much in putting out fires for others.

RR: 3/5

Take Time For Your Life, by Cheryl Richardson

Started/Finished: September, 2011

Notes: Historically, this book was interesting, as it was written in the 90s by the person that started almost single handedly the entire”personal coach” movement. Although, this is not a book really about coaching, it’s a book about not letting your life pass you by and learning about what she calls “extreme self care” – doing what makes you perform at your best, even if it seems selfish, and setting up your life to energize you and make the type of daily life you want. I listened to the audio version of this book, and her voice is perfect for this subject matter, and the book that comes with the CD has tons of checklists and helpful personal stories.

RR: 4/5

The Happiness Advantage, by Shawn Anchor

Started/Finished: September, 2011/ December, 2011

Notes: I was a little skeptical of this book at first, but really enjoyed it. Is it a business book? Is it a psychology book? It’s a good read. I think we all know, but tend to forget, that our brains work better when we are happy, that other people respond much, much better when we are happy. Has a ton of references to studies and real world examples, so it doesn’t feel like it’s dry, and was a great read (and probably a book I will re-read).

RR: 5/5

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, by Daniel G. Amen

Started/Finished: September, 2011/November, 2011

Notes: I read this book and the next book, by the same author, after seeing it on Amazon’s best seller lists. I’m not sure how I feel about it. It’s a book with checklists and quizzes to determine if you have ADHD, depression, problems with others, and a host of other problems, and then prescribes the use of the brain 3-d SPECT scan to analyze brain activity and prescribe a combination of pharmaceuticals and herbal supplements to treat various psychological symptoms. Anecdotal studies are used throughout to support this controversial treatment. Not a terribly exciting book, and I think the lack of acceptance from the general medical community makes this either radically progressive, or dangerous.

RR: 2/5

Change Your Brain, Change Your Body, by Daniel G. Amen.

Started/Finished: September, 2011/November, 2011

Notes: This book is certainly a mess, although there are some nuggets sprinkled throughout, and Dr. Amen goes into the importance of diet and exercise, which is important for changing your body. But there are disconnected parts to this book, and has such basic fitness and nutrition that you’ve heard much of this before if you’ve read at least 10 health articles in your life. The book goes overboard covering almost every herbal supplement there is (all for sale at his website), but doesn’t speak to the interactions between each (there have to be some negative interactions), or peer testing as to any supplements noted.

RR: 1/5

Official Book Club Selection, by Kathy Griffin

Started/Finished: November, 2011/November 2011

Notes: Hilarious, but also serious at parts. I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and I’m so glad – couldn’t put it down and the easygoing fast pace way she “reads” the book like she’s talking to a friend makes the comedy timing all the better. Was surprisingly serious with topics like her pedophile brother, her ex husband who gained 100 pounds and then stole over $70K from her, her plastic surgery (gone wrong) and her struggles in the business and with overeating. But plenty of funny, funny stuff in here, and it reminded me why I enjoyed seeing her live so much in the past. Good, funny, emotional, touching writing here.

RR: 4/5

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by James Ratey, M.D.

Started/Finished: November, 2011

Notes: It’s impossible to dispute that exercise is good… no, great for your brain after reading this book. This book is certainly good motivation towards exercise. Some higher level medical jargon in this book, and the book certainly is repetitive in parts, but the author focuses on writing about stress, depression, aging and ADHD in particular, and how particularly aerobic exercise helps the brain function at optimal power in all situations.

RR: 4/5

Stripped Bare, by Richard Branson

Started/Finished: October, 2011/December 2011

Notes: I listened to the audiobook, which is in the author’s own voice. This book starts out by describing how he wrote and is reading the audiobook from his own private island, from the desk in his office. And it feels relaxed and comfortable that way, like talking to an old friend. Branson speaks about the importance of having fun, the importance of people, taking risks, the importance of a “brand”, and the importance of giving back and being philanthropic. The stories of how the record store and the airline were built are worth the price of the book. Contrasted with the story of Ted Turner (above), this gives a very very different picture of “how to build an empire”, but also reminds you there often is no one right way to a goal.

RR: 5/5

YOU: Stress Less, by Mehmet Oz & Michael Roizen

Started /Finished: September, 2011/ September, 2011

Notes: I am a big fan of Dr. Oz. But this “book” was horrible. There’s a note at the back that this book was culled from various other books and various articles by the two authors and it reads like a blind monkey with scissors put together this book. Repetitive, rambling, incoherent, and non-contextual, this book just seemed to be all about the dollars, which is too bad, because other than reading “eat healthy, sleep well, exercise, meditate yoga” some 15 times on various pages (which sometimes contradict each other on the details), this could have been a much better book with some time and effort.

RR: 1/5

Talent is Overrated, by Geoff Colvin

Started/Finished: November, 2011

Notes: This book made me think a lot about “Outliers”, the Malcolm Gladwell book I read, which made last year’s list. Although it’s written to be more thrilling and personal than Outliers ever was, and is much more tied to empirical research. The power of deliberate practice and doing what you love to do will make you a top level talent at whatever you choose. A great read, but a terrifying one also, as it (for me) constantly asks the unspoken question in your ear, “why aren’t you doing what you most want to do?”

RR: 5/5

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Read: December, 2011

As covered in my books of 2009 list, I read Tolle’s more famous book, A New Earth, in that year. This was a much better book, in my opinion, and was more clear and practical. A good and sensible writer, given the other writers in this genre, this was an inspiring and humbling book for me. His story is fascinating, his writing is clear, and this book is a good reminder that we can often get lost in the complexities of other stuff, but the now is the only moment we truly really have.

RR:5/5

Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff

Started/Finished: December, 2011

Notes: An amazing story of three survivors of a plane crash as World War II was ending, in an area of New Guinea never seen by civilization before. Survival amongst tribes known for cannibalism, that had never seen clothing, or white skin before, and the rescue and friendship of natives and survivors alike is well written and gripping. I grew a little tired of the constant description of the amazing beauty of the heroine of the story (as though she had almost no other defining features), but the characters involved here, and the location of this tale, make this a thrilling story and a great read.

RR: 5/5

This year I was fortunate enough to dedicate myself to reading 100 books, something I haven’t done since second grade.  That included 1001 Arabian Nights, at over 2000 pages, and Doris Kearn Goodwin’s Team of Rivals, at 944 pages, and many other shorter titles.  My reading list for last year is here:https://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-miller/the-books-of-2011/10150550381829540, and for 2010 right here: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150111268299540, and for 2009 here: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=249747479539.  

This year saw a lot of diversity in that I read a lot more fiction, introduced leadership and sales titles, and some historical and economics reading.  As I did last year, I have a rating system for the books I finished, and I have them in ranking from my favorites to my least favorite (the 50 shades trilogy is in there somewhere also).  I finished the Hunger Games trilogy and the Ted Turner biography at the beginning of the year, and I have about 20 books already on deck for 2013.  Let me know your thoughts, please!

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American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin

 Started/Finished: August, 2012/October, 2012

Notes: This book was an amazing, in depth, review of the extremely interesting life and biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the leader of the team to create the first atomic bomb. It covers his privileged childhood and his emergence as a childhood prodigy, his studies of Eastern religions and languages, and his work teaching physics. His tragic targeting by the U.S. Government as a potential security risk in the later parts of his life are a sad ending to an interesting career.

RR: 5/5

On Writing, by Stephen King

 Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: Great, great great.  Straight from the source on writing, grammar, and structure. Brutally honest about what makes crappy writing, and what makes great writing, and how messy the writing process is. Also a biographical look at his childhood, education, marriage and setbacks in his career, written by one of the most famous authors in the world himself. Really enjoyed this book on many levels.

RR: 5/5

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

 Started/Finished: October, 2012/October, 2012

Notes:The perfect book for Halloween, a story about a boy who grew up in a graveyard.  This is the author of the book Coraline, and this story, starting and ending with tragedy, and about a boy who lives between two worlds, is so well constructed. Really enjoyed this read, and this could be a great children’s book or movie with some slight changes.

RR: 5/5

Imagine: How Creativity Works, by Jonah Lehrer

 Started/Finished: October, 2012

Notes:  A great examination of imagination in business, including stories from Pixar, … note that I was not aware of the controversy regarding made up quotes in this book when I read it.  The author lost his job at the New York Times Magazine for making up Bob Dylan quotes, which did not affect the central message of the book.

RR:  5/5

Mindset, by Carol Dweck

 Started/Finished:  January, 2012/January, 2012

Notes:  A fascinating and honest book about the psychology of limiting ourselves in many ways, and how almost anything can be learned. With not only great examples, but excellent writing about how the simple difference between believing that skills are innate, or can be learned, can make a world of difference.

RR: 5/5

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, by Steven PressfieldS

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/ June 2012

Notes:  I didn’t know much about this book at all before purchasing it, but wow, was it powerful. Steven Pressfield has a very high rating in my book based on the very strength of his writing. This is a highly, highly recommended book for anyone that runs or owns a business, is involved in writing, creative works, or embarks on physical fitness goals. The concept of what he calls resistance, and how to overcome resistance, is clearly stated and more powerfully discussed than 10 of the leading self help books. (And this is not meant as a self help book). This book is a needed kick in the pants to me and many others.

RR: 5/5

The Arabian Nights, by Anonymous

 Started/Finished:  February, 2012/December, 2012

Notes:  2000+ pages.  Amazingly richly written.  Has so many of the common themes of power, romance, cheating, dominance, surprise, magic, that are timeless classics. Not only is the overall story of Scheherazade fascinating, and with lessons for our time, but the individual stories stand up

RR: 5/5

The Art of War, by Sun TzuStarted/Finished: February, 2012/Notes:  Well written and fascinating, and not only a look at another era, but more than that – a book with many lessons for business, relationships, life, and strategy for everything.

RR: 5/5

The Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson

 Started/Finished:  January, 2012

Notes:  A simple, but great book.  The premise is how very slight improvements daily over time in areas of your life (health, wealth, relationships) can have greater effect than large scale changes.  A very powerful concept, and this is a well written book.

RR: 5/5

The Art of Pilgrimage:  The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred, by Phil Cosineau

 Started/Finished:  February, 2012/February, 2012

Notes: I really enjoyed this book, although I didn’t think it was my type of read. The author talks about making the most of travel by making it meaningful. Visiting whatever spots in the world have always interested you, and have meaning for you, and getting your head in the right space before, during, and after your travel, to get the most out of travel. A discussion of the worldwide sites where labyrinths exist is also extremely interesting. Highly recommended.

RR: 5/5

Your Money or Your Life:  Vicki Robins

 Started/Finished:  March, 2012/April, 2012

Notes:  This book has an interesting history, and two authors, one of whom hasn’t been alive in decades. But it is a convincing invitation to look closely at what you really want money for, what your relationship is to money, and what is really important in your life.

RR: 5/5

Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone, by Mark Goulston and Keith Ferrazzi

 Started/Finished: May, 2012/May, 2012

Notes:  A great and very practical guide to communicating with difficult people. Keith Ferrazzi is the author of another book I enjoyed this year on this list, and Mark Goulston is a former hostage negotiator, and together they go through scenarios including fighting couples, angry executives, family problems, and show how shifting back and making the other person feel felt diffuses the entire problem, to the greater accomplishment of the goals to be completed.

RR: 5/5

The Checklist Manifesto, by Atul Gawande

 Started/Finished:  May, 2012/May, 2012

Notes:  Kept hearing about this book and had to read it, and found it powerful. This is a re-examination of the power of to-do lists, in checklist form. Every business and industry, from airline pilots, to emergency room nurses, from fast food to the assembly line, has found that checklists have the power to make sure that things get done in the right way, whether you’ve done something once or hundreds of times before.

RR: 5/5

Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

 Started/Finished:  May, 2012/June 2012

Notes: Decided to revisit this classic work this year, and read it again, as Mr. Bradbury died this year. This is usually discussed in combination with censorship, but it is the strong storytelling that really makes this book interesting. Bradbury said that he did not write science fiction – he wrote dilemmas involving regular humans. And this book embodies that with its protagonist firefighter and his dilemma throughout the book.

RR: 5/5

Drown, by Junot Diaz

 Started/Finished:  May, 2012/June, 2012

Notes:  A collection of short fiction stories about the immigrant experience for Dominican Republican emigres to New Jersey (Diaz writes about what he knows). Better than his other book, the short fiction stories are perfect for his writing skills and he tells a great story in each of the stories in this book.

RR: 5/5

The Hidden Reality, by Brian Greene

 Started/Finished:  May, 2012/ June, 2012

Notes:  Brian Greene really has the gift of explaining string theory, large scale astronomical physics, and even quantum mechanics well.  This book is long, but very interesting. I was excited again about String Theory after reading this book, and found it fascinating.

RR: 5/5

Turing’s Cathedral, by George Dyson

 Started/Finished:  June, 2012/August, 2012

Notes: An amazing look at everything that went into the early days of electronic computing, and the persistence of teams of scientists, along with the tragic story of Alan Turing.  An in depth look at how computing came about, with stories of Von Neumann, Von Karman, Einstein, Dyson, and mathematical geniuses that helped build the first computer, ENIAC, and all the rules of computing.

RR: 5/5

What do you Care What Other People Think?, by Richard Feynman.

 Started/Finished:  June, 2012/ June, 2012

Notes: This is actually the second time I’ve read this, as I read Feynman’s works (all of them) from 1997-1998. He has such a lightness about his biographical writings, and the subjects are presented in so an interesting a manner, that this book is really a great read.

RR: 5/5

Galileo’s Daughter, by Dava Sobel

 Started/Finished: August, 2012/August, 2012

Notes: A really, really well written account focusing on Galileo’s daughter, a nun, but really about his persecution from the Catholic Church and the effects of his invention, the telescope, and his writings about the telescope, and how they were used to accuse him of disputing the biblical account of the structure of the heavens. This is the second or third Sobel book I’ve read, and she is an amazing writer.

RR: 5/5

Mao’s Last Dancer, by Li Cunxin

 Started/Finished: August, 2012/September, 2012

Notes: Wow. This was an amazing story. I had heard about the inspiring film, which I have not yet seen, but decided to read the book. The story of a young boy in rural China during Mao’s Great March, who becomes a ballet dancer, and then defects in Houston to the West. His experiences in communist China during his childhood, his eye opening experiences visiting the U.S.A., and his rise to become an adult, a brilliant dancer, and a political pawn, is a really, really thrilling read. Highly recommended.

RR: 5/5

Quantum: Einstein, Bohr, and the Great Debate about The Nature of Reality, by Manjit Kumar

 Started/Finished: August, 2012/September, 2012

Notes: This is a really well written book. Not a complaint here about the discussions and debates between Einstein and Bohr in the 30s and early 40s about the puzzle of Quantum Mechanics, and Kumar has a real gift for making the puzzling concepts of the discovery of the probabilistic quantum nature of the universe understandable. Highly recommended.

RR: 5/5

Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin

 Started/Finished: September, 2012/December, 2012

Notes: At 944 pages, this book is the second longest I read (other than Arabian Nights). This book caught my attention at least five years ago, but not until late this year did I finally get to tackle it. This is not only a biography of Lincoln, but a close look at all the members of his presidential cabinet, many of whom were his rivals during the political campaign. The movie “Lincoln” credits this film for part of its plot, and it is an amazing effort. You may think you know the 13th Amendment, or politics in the 19th century, or Lincoln, but you don’t once you read this book. Very impactful.

RR: 5/5

The Millionaire Mind, by Thomas Stanley

 Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: A well written book and an easy read, but definitely thought provoking. Building on his best seller, “The Millionaire Next Door”, Stanley does research on people living in certain millionaire rich environments, and analyzes their responses to how they live, spend, and think about things. The big lesson of the Millionaire Next Door was how average the homes and cars of most millionaires were, and here we learn about their dating, marriage, and family life, and what millionaires think about time management, and home building.

RR: 5/5

The Secrets of Power Negotiating, by Roger Dawson

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: While none of these are truly “secrets”, this book is the most in depth book about negotiations I have ever read. The workbook pages are helpful to get to what you want to achieve and what you (or your side) are willing to give up, and what strategies might be best towards achieving those goals. A clear well written book on an important subject.

RR: 5/5

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain

Started/Finished: August, 2012/September, 2012

Notes: Cain notes how much of the progress in the world have been accomplished by “introverts”, i.e., thinkers- those people that are in their heads. Gravity, Relativity, Evolution, and almost creative efforts in art, and most inventions of the Tech world, are made by those that prefer to be alone and introverted. The problem is that we live in a world that prizes extroverts, and reward extroverts. The chapters having to do with the differences between Asian classrooms and USA classrooms was very interesting, and although I’m not sure I agree with the genetic introverted differences discussion (which is presented without proof), this is a great book about an important subject.

RR: 4.5/5

Turn Right at Macchu Picchu, by Mark Adams

Started/Finished: September, 2012/October, 2012

Notes: This is a thrilling travelogue about one man’s attempts to retrace the discovery of Macchu Picchu in Peru, including learning all he can about Hiram Bingam, the (re)-discoverer of the archeological structures. Well written.

RR: 4.5/5

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: This book is some 6-7 years old, and was an Oprah Winfrey book club choice, which was where I first heard about it. I did not see the film, but this post apocalyptic fiction story, about a man and a boy traveling along a road (and in a world) full of dangers was extremely suspenseful and a great read.

RR: 4.5/5

No They Can’t: Why Government Fails but Businesses Succeed, by John Stossel.

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: I realize that neither this book, or John Stossel, or the Libertarian philosophy, are for everyone. I was impressed seeing Stossel speak at CalTech, and his segments on 20/20, and this book makes a compelling argument that business, not government, (and specifically competition in business) makes for progress in society, economic growth, and equality and fairness for all. Covering public safety, health care, the food industry, the military, the environment, he makes a solid case showing how intuition signals us to do one thing, but sometimes the counter intuitive solution is better, long term.

RR: 4.5/5

Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies, by Ben Macintyre

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: This is a thrilling story about the quirky band of almost misfit spies that actively mis-informed the German military about the location of the D-Day invasion. Their proclivities, their code names, their techniques to make sure that the true location was never revealed, and more importantly, that a false location was clear to the Nazis, is a well written and amazing story.

RR: 4/5

The Tools: Transform Your Problems Into Courage, Confidence, and Creativity, by Barry Michaels and Phil Stutz

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: This book I may have not completely used as intended, but wasn’t interested in repeating. The authors have used four fundamental problems that are universal to the human experience, and come up with reframing exercises, drills, to solve those problems and get unstuck. Every problem is a challenge, the authors keep saying, and you can’t argue with that, but this seems to be a workbook for people to use for specific problems, rather than a book to read and be inspired by.

RR: 4/5

Speak to Win, by Brian Tracy

Started/Finished: September, 2012/October, 2012

Notes: This short book is full of great, and extremely helpful, practical tips for presenting to audiences, small or large. Matching the audience, limiting the scope of your presentation, and even suggested jokes to use, are included.

RR: 4/5

The 11 Laws of Likeability, by Michelle Tillis Lederman

Started/Finished: August, 2012/September, 2012

Notes:  An excellent read with principles that make sense.  Love the personal stories and how well written this book was. Lederman shows that what we perceive as “likeability” is actually a series of learnable skills.

RR: 4/5

Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the making of Meaning, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: I always enjoy Professor Csikszentmilhalyi’s works, and his incredible book “Flow”, last year, led me to purchase and read this book, which is focused on leadership and business skills at work. Definitely more focused on creating a business environment conducive to flow, and letting workers/employees be their best.

RR: 4/5

Ultra Metabolism:  The Simple Plan for Weight Loss, by Dr. Mark Hyman

Started/Finished:  February, 2012/February, 2012

Notes:  Interesting, and well written, but not enough substance. There are references to appendixes about supplements to take, but not enough information about interactions, side effects, or dosage to make this book as useful as it would like to be.

RR: 4/5

One Year to an Organized Work Life, by Regina Leeds

Started/Finished:  January, 2012

Notes: A 52 week program for organizing your life, one week at a time. A great concept focusing on one skill or area of your life at a time. This author has other books focusing on home life or finances, but this covered a lot of ground that would have to be repetitive of her other books. As you might expect, some of the weeks are more substantial than others, and some chapters (weeks) felt like they were being stretched to cover a concept more than necessary.

RR: 4/5

8 Weeks to Optimum Health, by Andrew Weil

Started/Finished:  April, 2012/May, 2012Notes:  Suprisingly common sense, very well researched and engaging eight week program to introduce you to healthier habits.  Very light on  new age nonsense.  Some of the “sugar is better than fats” advice may be a little dated in the light of research, and the effects of some herbs and organic foods overall might be overstated, but the book is well written, hard to argue from, and following even some of the recommendations made me healthier (and would make anyone healthier).RR: 4/5

The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want, by Sonja Lyubomirsky

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/June, 2012

Notes: Heavier on research than practical application, this is a happiness book straight from the source. Focusing on achieving goals, and increasing happiness (despite the name), this book relies heavily on the science of journaling (much like another book I highly recommend, 59 seconds).

RR: 4/5

Why We Get Fat (And What to Do About It), by Gary Taubes

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/ June, 2012

Notes: A shorter version of his excellent book “Good Calories, Bad Calories”, with some new information, but generally in an easier to read format (meaning less footnotes).  I found the discussions on insulin and food, exercise, etc., to be very well done. This book in combination with Good Calories, Bad Calories, has enough research notes to make almost unassailable that carbohydrates cause fat storage, and low carbohydrate, high protein and high fiber diets cause weight loss. Some statements like “all diets cause weight loss because they lower carbohydrate intake”, and “if you want to lose weight you must stop exercising”, are more controversial and are not (yet) supported by the science, but this is an easily digestible summary of the science of weight loss.

RR: 4/5

One Click:  Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com, by Richard L. Brandt

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/ June 2012

Notes: An interesting business book and biography of someone that is woefully underrepresented in both business books and biography. The focus of the book is Amazon’s patenting of the “one click” technology (and aggressive enforcement of that patent), including a look at the inventor of the patent, and the more controversial uses of marketing by Amazon.

RR: 4/5

Spin Selling, by Neil Rackham

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/June 2012

Notes: An in depth look at what works (based on experimentation) in selling, and what doesn’t work as well, and the types of selling. Some of the discussion of the types of sales and the sales process are highly informative. Some of the study results of the winning sales tactics seems like a problem of causation vs. correlation. But sales, in particular, is an important area of business that seems to be left up to either ‘hunches’, or the advice of “sales geniuses”, that have advice that has not been validated or falsified in any way.

RR: 4/5

The Strangest Secret, by Earl Nightingale

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/ May, 2012

Notes:  This very short book pre-dates “The Secret”, but discusses how strange it is that you would become what you think about the most. A simple but very powerful concept.

RR: 4/5

Fundamentally Different:  Building a Culture of Success through Organizational Values, by David J. Friedman

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/June, 2012

Notes:  Although I am not sure that I agree with the concepts discussed in this book, the discussions about how important the concepts of culture are within a business organization are well outlined. Even better, the author’s many personal experiences towards the end of creating a culture in his business, are well written and a good read.

RR: 4/5

The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/June 2012

Notes:  Sometimes violent and profane, very well written, and an interesting look of Dominican Republic culture in New York City. This is a simple story about a nerdy guy that made it his life mission to experience a woman, and picked the wrong woman, the girlfriend of a gangster, and paid the price. An insightful and good read about a slice of life many have not experienced.

RR: 4/5

Subliminal: How your Unconscious Brain Rules Your Behavior, by Leonard Mlodinow

Started/Finished:  June, 2012/ July, 2012

Notes: I have seen Mlodinow speak at CalTech, where he is a professor of theoretical physics, but never thought he would tackle the science of the mind, brain, or psychology, ever. But he’s done a great job here, and there is so much to the unconscious mind, and how many “hard wired” routines our brains have that calculate things that are important for our survival, but are unappreciated by us. The breakdown of subjects related to unconsciousness by the author in this book shows the genius of how Mlodinow tackles the subject and addresses it thoroughly.

RR: 4.5/5

How to Instantly Connect with Anyone, by Leil Lowndes

Started/Finished:  June, 2012/ July, 2012

Notes:  Little tips, some dubious, some genius, some bland, about interacting with other people.  The tricks here, the ones that are palatable and actually work, could improve your communication with all types of people in all types of ways, as email, party conversation, friendship and relationship communication tips are discussed.

RR: 4/5

The Drunkard’s Walk:  How Randomness Rules Our Lives, by Leonard Mlodnow

Started/Finished:  June, 2012/ July, 2012

Notes: This book is one you want to hate, but can’t. The author makes a compelling argument that everything we do (and even things we admire), from sports records, to CEO performance, to good things (and bad things) that happen in your life, are completely random, and that randomness is the major force in the universe. Many of the concepts I had to re-read, because there are things that seem intuitively not random, but, as the author explains, are very much random.

RR: 4/5

The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls

Started/Finished:  June, 2012/ July, 2012

Notes: A sad but compelling memoir of growing up with smart, very unsuccessful, homeless parents. Her childhood in Arizona, California, and Las Vegas, and in a West Virginia mining town, is both sad and inspiring, in that she somehow is surprisingly understanding about her parents, and became a successful Manhattan based writer. At times this is a difficult read because of the things this family had to endure.

RR: 4/5

Road to Wealth, (Revised Edition) by Suze Orman

Started/Finished: July, 2012/ July, 2012

Notes: This book is a wealth (no pun intended) of information, not just about wealth building, but about credit reports, bankruptcy, mortgages, various types of insurance, health concerns, and avoiding spouse conflict regarding finances. It seems like information spit out in each chapter, but is well organized. A good reference book.

RR: 4/5

Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline

Started/Finished:  July, 2012/ August, 2012Notes: Such a fun read, and a great romp through details of the rise of computers, video games, and especially the 1980s.  A great writer and a very fun read for persons of a certain age (probably 35 to 55), with so many inside jokes you might miss many of them.

RR:4/5

God is Not Great:  How Religion Poisons Everything, by Christopher Hitchens

Started/Finished:  July, 2012/ August, 2012

Notes: Such an amazing writer, and it is a shame that he died so young last year. Pulling no punches, Hitchens uses his considerable intellect and documents the history of the world’s religions, and abuses past and present in religion. He makes a strong case that evil is woven throughout the books of the bible and their lessons, and that there would be a more peaceful progressive society without religion at all. While I don’t think that would ever happen, and that religion is, in fact, part of being human, reading Hitchens or watching him speak, as I had the opportunity to do many times live, is seeing an intellectual well read genius from another century, with facts and figures at his fingertips, come to life. That’s worth the price of admission here.

RR: 4/5

The Age of Entanglement:  When Quantum Physics was Reborn, by Louisa Gilder

Started/Finished: July, 2012/August, 2012

Notes: This is a title that I was not sure I would like, but was very interesting, and well written. It is written as a conversation between Albert Einstein and Heisenberg, Bohr, and many of the big names in the early discovery days of Quantum Physics. Using the notes and correspondence of the scientists, these are fictional discussions, but using real people and their real writing styles and positions regarding physics. A great read.

RR: 4/5

The Portable Atheist, by Christopher Hitchens

Started/Finished:  January, 2012/ February, 2012

Notes:  Really shows the deep literacy of its author, short quotes and essays by Omar Khayyam, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, Bertrand Russell, and many many others, on belief and religion. An interesting review of history and historical figures who have written about the nature of God, or Gods, and whether or not they exist.

RR: 4/5

You, Staying Young, by Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen

Started/Finished: August, 2012/September, 2012

Notes: A solid review of healthy foods, exercise, and supplements, that act to keep you looking and feeling younger. With less puns than the “You: On a Diet” and other similar books. A short but helpful book.

RR: 4/5

Lost and Found, by Geneen Roth

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: Geneen Roth is known in some circles as an overeating guru, but this is the story about how she lost all of her money to Bernie Madoff, and learned some lessons about it.  She has a relaxed writing style and this is not a life-changing book, but an excellent reminder about how much we already have, and how little we truly need to be happy. The author goes into some detail about how unwilling to look into finances she used to be, and how much of a spender she was, and how whiny about everything she was. Only when she truly lost everything was she forced to rethink every aspect about her life.

RR: 4/5

Overcoming Life’s Disappointments, by Harold S. Kushner

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: An examination of individuals and coping with hardships throughout life, this is a book written by a Rabbi, and has a very biblical / spiritual bent. It is very compassionate and understanding, and teaches to always look at the long term, no matter what life throws at you.

RR: 4/5

Breathe Easy: Relieve Stress and Reclaim Balance, by Mark Sanborn

Started/Finished:  September, 2012/September, 2012

Notes: Featuring Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen, Zig Ziglar, and others, with an extended seminar by Laura Stack, this is a series of helpful chapters geared towards learning effective stress release skills. Some very solid suggestions in this small book.

RR:4/5

Real Happiness, by Sharon Salzberg

Started/Finished:  October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: A discussion on meditation, and specific meditations, towards making one happier. Discussions of gratitude, and seeing the positive, are solid and well discussed.

RR: 4/5

The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: Reviewing people and institutions that use habit to effectuate change (including the Civil Rights movement and Saddleback Church), and how stimulus cues, and effects (resulting in a habit), with a reward, are at the nature of almost all good or bad habits, and are also their secret to change.

RR: 4/5

First, Break All the Rules:  What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman

Started/Finished:  October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: This book is based on a survey of 80,000 managers and itemizes skills used by the most successful managers. It discusses how leadership differs from management, and goes into each skill separately, which was very helpful.

RR: 4/5

Lighten Up: Love What You Have, Have What You Need, Be Happier with Less, by Peter Walsh

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: Enjoyed this author’s take on living with less. He discusses the amount of space and money each of us have devoted to clutter, and how that can lead to clutter in your financial and health lives. The concepts of how living with less can make you happier, and also be freeing, and better for the planet, resonated with me.

RR: 4/5

The Art of the Sale: Learning from the Masters About the Business of Life, from Philip Broughton

Started/Finished:  October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: Based on discussions from Harvard Business School about sales and business, this is a low key and interesting review of sales and their place in business, based upon case studies involving real world companies.

RR: 4/5

Mao’s Great Famine, by Frank Dikotter

Started/Finished: November, 2012/ December 2012

Notes: This important book by a German scholar is a fascinating look at how Mao’s decision to create a “Great Leap Forward” caused the deaths of 45 million people, and a massive government cover-up.

RR: 4/5

Get Rich Click: The Ultimate Guide to Making Money on the Internet, by Marc Ostrofsky

Started/Finished:  September, 2012/October, 2012

Notes: This book is liable to be outdated very quickly, but has a very basic coverage of the various methods, from domain name purchase and resale, to affiliate sales, to drop shipping, to sales through your own website. One of the big problems about this book, other than the author constantly puffing up himself, is the need to visit his links, QR codes, or supplemental information not in the book but available through his website. This seems like an elaborate scavenger hunt, rather than a book about business.

RR: 3.5/5

Dave Barry’s Money Secrets, by Dave Barry

Started/Finished: October, 2012/October, 2012

Notes: This book is more comedy than anything, and half of it is effective comedy. A fun read.

RR: 3.5/5

Unconditional Confidence, by Pema Chodron

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: This is a meditation handbook, based on a talk from Chodron, a Canadian Buddhist Nun. She is a great speaker and writer, and this is more about being solid in your own skin and dealing with your own internal problems, rather than seeing confidence from outside.

RR: 3.5/5

A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking

Started/Finished:  August, 2012/September, 2012

Notes: Revisited this book, which I hadn’t read since the late 1980s. While I disagree with many that Hawking is a good writer, this has some very interesting concepts that continue to be interesting, and fresh.

RR: 3.5/5

Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman

Started/Finished:  November, 2012/December, 2012

Notes: Has an examination of beliefs that make up your personality, and how that can lead to your most positive contributions to your career and life. Supposedly based upon analyzing two million people and their strengths, this is a combination book and online test, which is somewhat burdensome. Interesting, but not sure how this correlates to something in real life.  The main lesson here is that it’s much, much more effective to concentrate on your strengths than try to remedy your weaknesses.

RR: 3.5/5

The Real Crash, by Peter D. Schiff

Started/Finished: November, 2012 / December, 2012

Notes: This book seemed like more gloom and doom than sound economic theory, but the author makes a point – that primarily the Federal Reserve’s deep involvement in manipulation of interest rates, the government’s uncontrollable borrowing, and, in connection with this, the maintaining of unsustainable social programs are causing a problem that will only end with a re-correction that will be painful for the country.

RR: 3/5

The New Meditation Handbook, by Gelsing Gyatso

Started/Finished:  January, 2012/January 2012

Notes:  The meditation part of this is wonderful.  But the unreadability of the commentary makes me wonder if this was a poor translation from the original author’s writing, in Tibetan.

RR: 3/5

The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan, by Barbara Rolls and Robert Barnett

Started/Finished:  March, 2011/February, 2012

Notes:  This book was highly recommended by my Weight Watchers leader, and the basic principle of the book is that the body needs a set amount of mass/bulk per day, and can be tricked by eating foods that are lower in energy density into consuming lower calories.  Foods that are higher in water (vegetables, fruits, brothy soups, salads) are key to this plan.  This one sentence is stretched into an entire book, which seems to be weakest when it discusses other approaches at consuming less calories and finds them deficient without full discussion.

RR:3/5

How to Grow a Backbone : 10 Strategies for Gaining Power and Influence at Work, by Susan Marshall

Started/Finished:  February, 2012

Notes: Information presented in typical business book style, meaning boring, stretching out simple concepts for pages and pages, and using lots of stories of fictional persons that didn’t have a backbone, and then decided to have one. No surprises here.

RR: 3/5

Outwitting the Devil, by Napoleon Hill

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/June, 2012

Notes: Another book by a classic author, this strange book posits an interview with a captured Devil, on how he gets his victims from society and manipulates society through education, fear, and the media. This book was written by a possibly mentally ill Hill in 1938, and he comes across a little bit looney in this book in particular, although the religious tone of the time, and the long lasting effects of the Great Depression still going on when this book was being written, that might explain some of his “second self” and his “visions” about the devil.

RR:3/5

The ABC of Sales, by Daniel Milstein

Started/Finished:  May, 2012/ June 2012

Notes:  If nothing else, this is a fascinating look at the story of it’s author, who went from immigrant from Russia to McDonalds employee, to mortgage salesperson (at the height of the market), to having his own mortgage company and becoming a millionaire. Very self-absorbed, and very much in the framework of “I’m a millionaire because I work 100 plus hour weeks”, rather than examining the power of an effective team, delegation, leverage, working smart vs working hard, or any of a number of other things that could have been discussed.

RR: 3.5/5

The Black Hole War:  My Battle with Stephen Hawking to Make the World Safe for Quantum Mechanics, by Leonard Susskind

Started/Finished:  June, 2012/ July, 2012

Notes: Sort of a bragging rights book about the bets and challenges between Stephen Hawking and Leonard Susskind, this was interesting, but too focused on the two scientists to be of popular use or much more interest to me than this one reading.

RR: 3/5

Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James

Started/Finished:  July, 2012/ July, 2012

Notes: Sometimes poorly written, annoying how much self doubt inner dialogue there is, which gets old fast.  Some hot scenes, and this being such a phenomenon with women makes it a “must read” for men. The main characters, and especially the side characters, are stereotypically badly fleshed out, and would have more depth if they were on a soap opera. But this is solidly fantasy, not real life, so the more you check your ability to tell how the world really works at the door, the more enjoyable this book will be.

RR: 3/5

Fifty Shades Darker, by E.L. James

Started/Finished: July, 2012/August, 2012

Notes:  Begins after the breakup of the two main characters, and then becomes more unbelievable from there. There are some logical leaps that are almost too difficult to make seriously, but the relationship between the two main characters progresses, there is life threatening drama, and a marriage proposal. Again, fantasy (especially in how fast this all happens), and the less it’s analyzed, the better the read.

RR: 3/5

The McKay MBA of Selling in the Real World, by Harvey Mackay

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: Received this book when it was released. This year, as part of my efforts to improve business skills, I concentrated on Leadership and Sales. This book seemed to be recycled information from other sources, and according to others, from MacKay’s own works. (I haven’t read McKay’s other works). Lots of fluff and very few nuggets.

RR: 3/5

How To Save Your Own Life, by Michael Gill Gates

Started/Finished: August, 2012/August, 2012

Notes: A very short book, but a great set of lessons to remember.  Goes into some depth about his personal history, and even though this book sort of seems like an expanded list of “things to keep in mind through your life”, it’s a good read.  Covers some of the personal stuff in “How Starbucks Saved My Life”, his other book. Nothing advanced here, but it’s a good reminder to shut off your electronics, spend time with your loved one, and be willing to be nice to others.

RR: 3/5

How to Give Her Absolute Pleasure, by Lou Paget

Started/Finished: October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: I heard a female friend talking about this book, and thought it would be worth a read. This is a relatively short book for this subject, and the reason why is that it seems very basic. Likely not much that you have not heard before in other sources.

RR: 3/5

The Six Pillars of Self Esteem:  The Definitive Work on Self Esteem, by Nathaniel Branden

Started/Finished: August, 2012/September, 2012

Note: An extremely dry discussion about what makes self esteem. Most interesting parts were the discussions of Branden’s relationship with Ayn Rand, and the concept that as self-esteem, it has to come from within, not from external cues or sources of validation.

RR: 3/5

The Small Business Bible:  The Ultimate Small Business Resource, by Steven D. Strauss

Started/Finished:  October, 2012/November, 2012

Notes: A categorical discussion of all parts of what makes a solid business. Not much to learn from or argue with here.

RR: 3/5

Enders Game, by Orson Scott Carson

Started/Finished: June, 2012/October, 2012

Notes: A very traditional science fiction book, about a boy recruited to fight a space war, and for that reason, felt like “same old territory” in many respects. The science fictioney nature of this book aside, the plot is solid, and it is told almost as a script for a play. The movie based on this book will be released in 2013, and although this book started out strong and lost me the more it moved towards a predictable finish, I will be interested to see how they treat on screen this when the film is released.

RR: 2.5/5

Stranger in a Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein

Started/Finished: July, 2012/August, 2012

Notes: This is an older, classic science fiction book, written in the late 1960s/early 1970s, and it shows. It’s the story of a man who is from Mars, and comes to Earth and learns he has psychic and related powers (including telekinesis). He ends up starting a new religion on Earth, one based on free love and other 60s concepts. Was a good core story, but is too dated by the times it was written in.

RR: 2/5

The Shack:  A Novel, by William P. Young

Started/Finished: August, 2012/September, 2012

Notes: This shorter novel is a story about a man who’s daughter was murdered in a shack in the woods, and when visiting the scene of her murder, he has an experience talking to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in human form. Very silly in parts, not effective, and with such a painful start it never quite comes together as a coherent novel.

RR: 2/5

The 123 of God, by Ken Wilbur

Started/Finished:  January, 2012/February 2012

Notes:  A painfully complicated book, with charts, color schemes, numbers, about people’s belief in God.   If you are a believer, this book will not be helpful to you.  If you are not a believer, this book will seem like a huge grand waste of someone’s time, and definitely not helpful to anyone.

RR: 1/5

Breaking the Death Habit, by Leonard Orr

Started/Finished:  January, 2012/January, 2012

Notes:  Welcome to crazy town.  This book was recommended to me by a very spiritual bartender that I respect for more than his ability to mix drinks, but this book is kind of a mess.  Claims like “thousands of immortals live among us”, and that people can dissolve and reappear, even out of cement tombs, and reappear in any time, even in the future, should be testable claims, but are just taken as fact here.  The heart of the book (which, unfortunately takes half the book to get to), is that  concentrated breathing, bathing (twice daily), sitting in front of a fire, meditating, fasting, and abstaining from society is the secret to eternal life.  This book is the lesser known of his work, which is mainly about “rebirthing” — the process of going through the breath patterns and other experiences of being born.  The end of the book has a request to send him $10 per month.  No can do, Leonard, sorry.

RR: 1/5

Mastering Your Hidden Self:  A Guide to the Huna Way, by Serge Kahili King.

Started/Finished: February, 2012, to March, 2012

Notes:  Not my cup of tea.  So much of the speculative talk about the psychenesis of children, or Kirlian Photography, which have been discredited, takes away from the simple law of attraction message that you move towards what you think about most.

RR: 1/5

Skinny Bastard: A Kick In the Ass for Real Men Who Want to Stop Being Fat and Start Getting Buff, by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnonin

Started/Finished: August, 2012/August, 2012

Notes: Wow, this book is bad, almost dangerous. The authors, in their typical “we are so edgy by using bad words in every sentence”, waiver from “do your own research” to “we don’t trust the research”, to “you don’t need research”in their hard line approach that being vegan equals health. Some of the dangers they warn about is not supported by science, although they are certainly on solid ground not to trust the government or industry for your nutrition advice. But recommending vegan ice cream, lasagna, hot dogs? And no butter, milk, eggs, or leather shoes? Processed food is not going to get you the results you want, in my opinion. Some of the concepts presented as fact here are laughably wrong.

RR: 1/5

Last year I read over 100 books, and this year ended up with a grand total of 97 books.   My reading list for last year is here (https://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-miller/the-books-of-2012/10151392738919540), and for 2011 here (https://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-miller/the-books-of-2011/10150550381829540) , 2010 is right here (https://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-miller/2010-the-books-of-the-year/10150111268299540), for 2009 here (https://www.facebook.com/notes/robert-miller/the-books-ive-read-in-2009/249747479539), and for 2008 right here.  This year saw a lot of diversity in that I read less fiction than the year previous, read books on war and violence, happiness and physics, continued with titles on leadership and sales titles, and some historical and psychology reading.  As I did last year, I have a rating system for the books I finished, and I have them in ranking from my favorites to my least favorite.  More books are already on deck for 2014.  Let me know your thoughts, please! 

The books I read in 2013:

The Better Nature of our Angels: Why Violence has Declined, by Steven Pinker

Notes: I only found out after I had read this nearly 900 page book that Bill Gates called it the best book of the year, and he was right.  I thought about this book long after I read it, all year, and continue to do so.  This book is so broad in scope and breadth, but so compelling with the research, argument, and scholarship regarding this history and causes of violence, what works and what doesn’t work to reduce it, gun control, religions inquisitions, and the politics and problems of violence.  The central thesis of the book is regarding what has caused the amazing fact that violence has declined over 90% from what it was just two plus centuries ago.  This book combines the work that normally would have been done by a presidential or royal commission, with the amazing work of one scholar over years of work.  A very compelling work and one I read portions of again and again throughout the year.  I’ve given copies to some interested friends with pleasure and think this book should be mandatory reading for anyone working in the military, politics and policy, in the criminal justice system, or interested in history or sociology.

RR: 5/5 

The Particle at the End of the Universe: How the Hunt for the Higgs Boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World, by Sean Carroll

Notes: Sean Carroll is such a good writer.  Not only that, but despite being a leading academic in physics at CalTech, he writes about subjects (and lectures on them, as I’ve seen him in person), with such clarity.  That is rare.  Here he has such a perfect description of the types of particles in the universe, the construction of the large hadron collider, and the frank problems with selling such a project politically or to the public, that this could have been expanded into two or three excellent individual books.  Really an enjoyable read by an enjoyable author.

RR: 5/5

Saving Italy: The Race To Rescue A Nation’s Treasures From The Nazis, by Robert M. Edsel

Notes: This was a fascinating read about a little known secret plot by the US OSS to protect the artwork of Italy, after the Last Supper by DaVinci was almost destroyed by a bomb.  In between, both the Nazis and members of the Allies were trying to use the fog of war to steal valuable artwork for their own gain.  This is a completely true story, but reads like some of the best mystery novels.  A great job by author Edsel and a wonderful read.

RR: 5/5

Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival, and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II, by Mitchell Zuckoff

Notes: After reading “Lost in Shangri La” last year I was eager to read this true story from World War II about a cargo plane that crashed in Greenland, and the rescue plane also crashed.  Another plane sent to rescue it also crashed after retrieving one survivor.  In 2012, a US Veteran Foundation entrepreneur led an effort that found the crash sites and retrieved the bodies.  This book is written as flashbacks in present day and in 1942 and gives you an idea of how dangerous the ice sheets of Greenland can be, and how heroic all the rescue efforts were.  The incredible bad luck of the rescue efforts is very much anxious reading throughout, and of course, there is not a happy ending to be had here, except that the bodies of the men, stuck in ice since 1942, were finally brought home in 2013.

RR: 5/5

You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You’re Deluding Yourself, by David McRamey

Notes: A well written book about how many ways your brain tricks you into thinking things, in accordance with certain patterns, organized by what the author feels is 48 categories of logical fallacies.  A great read and well written.  Even if some of this information was in other books I read this year, it was written up in this book much better.

RR: 5/5

The Magic of Reality: How We Know What is Really True, by Richard Dawkins

Notes: This is a simple, but really well written amazing book.  Using human experience, and the history of science, from microbes, the atom, to supernovas and galaxies, it shows in simple terms, for adults and children, how we know what we know over time during the history of science.  Science depends on results being replicable and falsifiable, and this book explains how the scientific method works to prove phenomenon using both.

RR: 5/5

Excellence: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance, by Atul Gawande

Notes: Unexpectedly, I really took a lot from this book.  I appreciate the economics and commitment of practicing medicine more than ever after reading this great, well written book.  Like his other book I read last year, “The Checklist Manifesto”, this book is well written.  It goes into especially detailed discussions about doctor’s ethics surrounding participating in State run executions, and in great detail regarding medical malpractice cases and how they are handled, from the point of view of doctors and a lawyer formerly a doctor who brings claims related to malpractice for clients.  An easy read and an excellent book.

RR: 5/5

A Universe from Nothing: Why there is Something Rather Than Nothing, by Lawrence Krauss

Notes: Much more than his book on Richard Feynman, I enjoyed this book by Krauss immensely.  Delving into what science shows us about the creation of the Universe, and the physics of what we know about the Universe, including some of the puzzles of dark energy, dark matter, and quantum strings, this book has high level technical information, but is expertly written to be accessible.  A great read.

RR: 5/5

Fearless:  The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy Seal Team Six Operator Adam Brown, by Eric Blehm

Notes: This book was highly recommended by a dean at Chapman Law School, during lunch after an event.  She said it was very popular in her church.  The portions of the book about Adam Brown dealing with his drug addiction, and training to join Seal Team Six, was fascinating and really gives an appreciation for what he and other Seal Team members go through during training.  It does focus on his love of Jesus, church, and the bible, and sometimes ridiculously justifies the Iraq war with statements like “one [old] photograph was justification for Adam that he was fighting good against evil.”  The sacrifices he made against all odds, including the ultimate sacrifice, being shot by the Taliban in Afghanistan, makes this a poignant and thrilling read by a good biographer.

RR: 5/5

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink

Notes: This book, which I believe arose out of a TED talk, talks about how it’s not status or money that motivates people to do better, but three things: (1) Autonomy: (Control over work); (2) Mastery (To get better at what they do); (3) Purpose (being part of something that is bigger than people are). That basic premise is stretched out to fill a whole book, but the basic idea is both solid and fascinating.  This book could change compensation, and management, all over, if adopted.

RR: 5/5

Bright Sided:  How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich

Notes: This is an unusual book.  In a sea of “positive thinking – yay” books, this book looks at the author’s personal experience with breast cancer survivors (she is one), and then looks at the history of “if you think it, it will come”, including Christian Science, “The Secret”, the various Christian ministries talking about prosperity, the “science” of happiness, and how that infected the thinking regarding subprime mortgages and home ownership, and even the Iraq war.  As a cell biologist, she has problems with those with cancer wishing positive thoughts to fight the cancer away, as that is not how cancer cells work.  While this is not a perfect book, and leaves out much positive thinking wrongly used in many areas, this is an important book.  The book might seem very much at odds with others on the list (especially the Seligman books, who she takes special aim at), I think it is important to both work for the best outcomes, but be cognizant of how the world really works, and not fall into the magical fallacy that what you wish automatically is realized.

RR: 5/5

The World Until Yesterday: What We Can Learn from Traditional Societies, by Jared Diamond

Notes:  An excellent book from one of my favorite authors and lecturers.  Having spent 12 years in rural New Guinea, he is qualitified to speak about traditional societies, which is how humans lived for over 100,000 years.  Much of what he says about the violence and history of traditional societies mirrors exactly the research discussed in The Better Angels of our Nature, but the patterns, from all over the world, of traditional societies with family, sexuality, religion, and the discrepancies in traditions, culture, and diet, say a lot about how humans fit into every climate and use available resources as well as our innate basic deep psychology and physiology.

RR: 5/5

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, by Haruki Murakami

Notes: Like the book I read last year on writing by Stephen King, I really enjoy writer’s books.  Especially when I have really enjoyed the writer’s other works.  I have enjoyed the fiction of Murakami, for over five years now, and this book was unexpectedly amazing.  Really an enjoyable book that I could not put down until it was finished, and I learned a lot about him, his work, his philosophy, and definitely about running.  Unlike many writers, Murakami has done over 25 marathons, over five triathlons, and an ultra marathon (over 60 miles), and he considers running crucial to his work.  You can feel, through his skilled descriptive language, the air in his lungs, the sweat warming on his skin by the sun, and him thinking about writing while running.  Highly recommended.

RR: 5/5

A Life Decoded: My Genome, My Life, by J. Craig Venter

Notes:  This book really amazed me, and I knew very little of Venter before reading this book.  The deciphering of the human genetic code, a complex and expensive, time consuming technical task with almost unlimited implications for the future of humanity, was being worked on by an international committee, and a US committee, funded by taxpayers, over several years.  Using business skills and values, Venter led a team to decode the language of the entirety of human DNA first, more cheaply and faster than any government sponsored project. From a suicide attempt while he was in Vietnam and was confronted with drowning, eels, and a shark, to his drive to exceed at UCSD and become a PhD and a leader in cell biology, this story is completely, absolutely, riveting.  Highly highly recommended.

RR: 5/5 

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go Of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be, by Brene Brown

Notes: The TED talk video by Brene Brown about shame, which is definitely went viral, led me to read this book, which was great.  Never has an author felt more honest in her writing.  Part of it is the funny and definitely deprecating stories, but also the core message of the book, felt very very authentic.  Much of this book I read again and again, and the advice to live your life wholly, not holding back to try to fit into stereotypes of who you think you should be I think would resonate well with many many others.

RR: 5/5 

The Five Levels of Attachment: Toltec Wisdom for The Modern World, by Don Miguel Ruiz, Jr.

Notes: Attachment is very much a Buddhist concept, and finding this book explaining the “Toltec” wisdom regarding attachment was an unusual mix, I thought.  I did not learn anything about the Toltec way of thinking, but much about Ruiz, his family, and his excellent thoughts, and writings, on attachment.  Much of what we think of as positive, including career, growth, and love, can carry much expectations and attachment that are negative in many ways. This book was a good read on an important concept.

RR: 5/5

Good In A Room: How to Sell Yourself And Your Ideas and Win Over Any Audience, by Stephanie Palmer

Notes:  A good resource, that tells you to stop networking.  Use other means including how you describe who you are and what you do.  The book walks you through case studies, and points out all the ways that

RR: 5/5

Seabiscuit, by Laura Hillibrand

Notes:  I have not seen the film, but I did select this book on the strength of this author, who wrote my number one book of last year, “Unbroken: A Story of Survival, Resiliance, and Redemption”, which was an amazing story and unforgettable.  Her writing is strong, and this description of the most famous racehorse of the great depression is no exception. The descriptions of horses, and of Seabiscuit’s running style, unique quirks, and the quirks of each of the three men that trained and made the horse a legend, was thrilling and a great read.

RR: 5/5 

The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want, by Sonja Lyubomirski

Notes: I have enjoyed this author’s other works on meditation, and in this book she is frank about the scientific research, which shows that not all of your happiness in life can be controlled.  But blending what works in research with compelling stories and insights, this did have some interesting tidbits, including how marriage only increases happiness for two years, how happy people care less about what others think, but doing things for others definitely increases happiness.  A good mix of the practical and the educational in this book.

RR: 5/5

Before Happiness: The 5 Hidden Keys to Achieving Success, by Sean Achor

Notes: I enjoyed the previous book by this author, The Happiness Advantage, which was all about how happiness has many benefits and confers an advantage in many areas of life.  This is more specific with five methods to developing happiness to the maximum possible, many methods of which are the same as others in this list.  I thought the last book was slightly overhyped, but this is a better book in many ways.

RR: 5/5

Succeed:  How We Can Reach our Goals, by Heidi Grant

Notes: This book, a science based approach to achieving goals such as weight loss, changing careers, stopping smoking, but unlike the positive thinking self help books, discusses in some depth what the psychological studies regarding making changes has to offer.  That made this a breath of fresh air, and that, plus the good writing, made this an enjoyable read.

RR: 5/5

The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, by A.J. Jacobs

Notes:  Really enjoyed this book, as I have most of Jacob’s authored books.  The author decides to, for one year, follow all the rules of the bible – all of them, along the way dealing with his wife, his family, other New Yorkers, co-workers, and consulting people of various religions.  Early in the book he finds a book written in the 1920s that itemizes each of the bible’s 700 plus laws for humans, and uses those as his guidelines.  This book is not only educational, but hilarious.  He interviews the Amish, Baptists, the director of the Creation Museum, a Bedoin Shepard, Samaritans in Israel, Snake Handlers, and an Atheist Group, along the way while growing a long beard and trying not to eat prohibited foods, gossip, covet, wear clothes of mixed fibers, to stone adulterers, and to play a ten string harp.  A funny, funny book and very well written and considerate. I think few knew the biblical laws as well as he after his 365 (actually 381) day experiment. AJ Jacobs says that he considers this book his best work, but that he can’t, because pride is a sin.

RR: 5/5

The Story of World War Two, by Donald L. Miller and Henry Steele Commanger

Notes: Wow.  This book was amazing, and draws on personal recently revealed accounts from those that were there – during Pearl Harbor, at Normandy, in Okinawa, the Pacific Islands, France, and Germany.  Each story is so riveting, this book kept me up nights and I almost did not want it to end.  Made me appreciate the history and sacrifices of the individuals during the war much more.  Highly recommended.

RR: 5/5

Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl

Notes: This famous book, written in 1946, I am sure I read in the 1990s, but this year I read it again.  An amazing book, with a detailed description of life in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, from a psychological perspective, and then a discussion on the use of power, the importance for purpose in life, hope, and the true personality of humans.  A truly excellent book.

RR: 5/5

The Man Who Loved China, by Simon Winchester

Notes: I have loved the writing of Winchester for many years and this book, on a subject I knew absolutely nothing about, the scholar Joseph Needham, who catalogued the scientific achievements of China in a massive study, and an encyclopedia on Chinese Science and Civilization.  In the process, he brought the Chinese historical knowledge of various regions, and even some discoveries and inventions that had been forgotten, to the Chinese, and to the world.  An extremely interesting read.

RR: 5/5 

The Power of Less:  The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself, by Leo Babauta

Notes: I have been a fan of Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits blog for over five years.  This is the second book of his I read (the first being Zen to Done, in 2008). This book is very short at 192 pages of large font words. This book is much better than his first.  It does rehash the story of Leo living in Guam, and being a smoker, 45 pounds overweight, working for the government, in debt, with no time for his family.  And, by tackling his bad habits, one at a time, limiting himself to focus on that one habit, (starting with smoking), he became a success one habit at a time.  His book was apparently written in blog postings (which is why there are references to previous posts in the book), but it is worth a read.  The simple writing style matches the message.

RR: 5/5

Great on the Job: What To Say, How to Say It, by Jodi Glickman

Notes: This book is definitely well written, with in depth discussions of workplace communication, tailoring messages for various audiences, dealing with subordinates, coworkers, leaders, etc.  If you have been in the workplace for a while, this may be older information for you.  If you are new(er) to workplace communication, this could be invaluable.  Even the discussions on how to write for Facebook, twitter, etc., are valuable to all.

RR: 5/5

Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey

Notes: A book with many important discussions about what it means to lead a team and grow a business.  But, unlike his earlier books, which I have enjoyed, the author here is so enamored with himself, that he ends up coming across like a jerk at times here. This book was  a gift from LeeAnn Thorn).  But the advice on hiring and firing, and about building structures so that you care as much about employees as you do about the business, is golden advice, to be sure.

RR: 5/5 

London: A Short History of the Greatest City in the Western World, by R.O. Bucholz

Notes: I enjoyed this book so much.  Really a great read and a fantastic review of the history of London (whether or not it’s the “greatest” city I will leave for you to decide), and all the trials, tribulations, and problems faced by that city, and how it shaped so much of what became the world’s institutions and customs.  Really enjoyed this book and think that Bucholz is a genius of sorts.

RR: 5/5 

Super Freakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance, by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner

Notes: Always a super interesting read, and very well written. I read this book after thoroughly enjoying “Freakonomics” in 2007, but also because the teaser information when this book ams out in 2009 mentioned that more people die walking under the influence of alcohol than driving under the influence of alcohol.  The book does a good job explaining why that is, along with information about global warming (and cooling), and preventing domestic violence, that is very much unintuitive.  A big fan of Levitt’s writing.

RR: 5/5 

No Excuses: The Power of Self Discipline, by Brian Tracy

Notes: The idea of this book seemed to me, at first, to contradict the premises of many of Tracy’s other works, regarding how structures can make discipline less important.  However, this book makes a compelling argument that using willpower, which is limited, in the right areas of your life can make drastic changes.

RR: 5/5

Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change your Child’s Attitude, Behavior, and Character in 5 Days, by Kevin Leman

Notes: My girlfriend Cara recommended this book this summer, and it is definitely a short but sweet great read.  With funny anecdotes and a simple principle that really works, this book is common sense, but you will find things you do not do, as a parent, but should, at every turn.  Tried it with my son and it really worked for me, as it did from Cara to her daughter.

RR: 5/5 

Coming Clean, by Kimberly Rae Miller

Notes:  This book was recommended by someone, perhaps a client, and I can’t remember exactly who.  It is a story of a woman who grew up with parents that were extreme hoarders, and all that entails – sometimes rooms filled to the top with items, sometimes rats.  A house fire gave them a new start, but ended up in a suicide attempt and somehow a new, beautiful life with a tidy apartment, fulfilling relationships, and a great career.  Very much reminded me of The Glass Castle, a book on my reading list last year.  A great read, and very touching at points.

RR: 4.5/5

Hallucinations, by Oliver Sacks

Notes:  This book explores how common basic hallucinations are, especially in times of stress or sensory deprivation.  With some personal experiences of the author, and as usual a large base of first hand accounts of 15 categories of hallucinations, this book was amazing and taught me a lot about what these malfunctions teach us about the brain.

RR: 4.5/5

Gulp:  Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, by Mary Roach

Notes:  This is a strange subject, but treated well by a great writer.  And, after reading this book, a very important subject.  This book has many moments that make you laugh, and treats the alimentary canal from when food enters your mouth to when the waste product exits.  Along the way there are discussions of the science of what happens in between, stories of important researchers and their discoveries and methods. Nothing, from digestive gas, to how prisoners transport items, to the growing importance of the realization of bacterial types and cultures for weight loss and digestion, are spared.

RR: 4.5/5

Going Social: Excite Customers, Generate Buzz and Energize Your Brand With the Power of Social Media, by Jeremy Goldman

Notes: A great read, and well written also, this is the book to get on using social media for your business.  Lots of humor here, but also a great introduction to the use of social media, with many advanced level tactics.

RR: 4.5/5 

Beginning Meditation: Enjoying Your Own Deepest Experience, by Sally Kempton

Notes: This is really two books in one, the first half being all about the basics of meditation, and the second half being about the types and variances of meditation and bringing those into your own custom practice.  A very enjoyable beginner’s book on the subject.

RR: 4.5/5 

Cooked:  A Natural History of Transformation, by Michael Pollan

Notes:  Looking over the past five years, the Omnivore’s Dillemna by Pollan was one of the most important books I’ve read.  I was looking forward to this book, which has much of the current science about fermentation, bacteria, the release of nutrients and calories from food by cooking, along with luscious writing and stories of making bread, creating unique cheeses, and the culture of food and restaurants, as well as cooking in the home in society, and how that’s changed over time.  Not 100% at the level of Pollan’s other books, but still, he is such a great writer, I have to recommend this book.

RR: 4.5/5 

The Richest Man in Babylon, by George Clason

Notes:  This book is such a classic, having been written in 1926, and I did read it in 2008, although I do not think I put it on my reading list, as it was such a quick read.  However, I did read it again this year and thought it so wonderful that I recommend it to all, and enjoyed reading it for the second time. I only deduct half a point for the tedious storytelling convention of making this a “lost tablet” from Babylon, which sometimes distracts from the amazingly simple and great point of this great book.

RR: 4.5/5 

Musicophilia: And Other Tales of Music and the Brain, by Oliver Sacks

Notes: This was a book that I thought would have been written long ago.  But Oliver Sacks is the perfect person to write it.  Stephen Pinker, the author of my number one book this year, says music is “cheesecake for the brain” in his most famous quote.  But the brain almost seems to be made for music, and integrates well in music, much to the puzzlement of many in history.  Sacks looks at dysfunction, brain damage, and musical illusions caused by the brain, to see how the brain works, and in his typical writing style,.  I would have liked to have read more about how music helps the normally functioning brain in memorization, sexual selection, and religion, but this book is otherwise perfect for the subject.

RR: 4.5/5

It Worked for me: In Life and Leadership, by Colin Powell

Notes: This book was wonderful.  It is frank and discusses as much the failures of leadership (including his very frank and apologetic assessment of what went wrong with the intelligence leading to the Iraq War).  This is very much a memoir but also a “what I have learned” treatise on good leadership.  Very well written and a great read.

RR: 4.5/5 

A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future, by Daniel Pink

Notes: As automation and industrialization of many industries make even technical jobs obsolete, those that can channel resources to conceptualize and create new items in technology, art, music, will be the most valued jobs.  For that reason, new industries around storytelling, design, and other right brain artistic fields will arise that will be the most important in society.

RR:4.5/5 

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and others Die, by Chip Heath

Notes: This is what the writing of Malcolm Gladwell aspires to be.  Very entertaining, with a concrete well researched point, this book is engaging, and shows that, while much of business communication of ideas tends to be sharing data in ads and powerpoint presentations, what works best is using simple, concrete stories, with a touch of the unexpected, and lots of emotional credibility.  A great book.

RR: 4.5/5

What Technology Wants, by Kevin Kelly

Notes: I found this book to be very thought provoking, and definitely more than a little bit scary. One of the main concepts is that technology is its own organism, evolving towards its own aims, and may even be the dominant organism on Earth or in the Universe.  What the author calls the “technium”, which is 8000 years of man’s technology, is an extension that may at some point operate independent of man, but definitely has improved life (and life spans) of those in culture and civilization.  Definitely worth reading, although the ultimate conclusions may trouble you.

RR: 4.5/5 

Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, by Tal Ben-Shahar

Notes:  This book is authored by the professor teaching one of the most popular courses at Harvard University – the positive psychology course.  In the flood of happiness books on the market, I can imagine this professor and his publisher was eager to get this book out.  And it is a great book.  It provides practical exercises and advise, and the realization that happiness is the ultimate reason for almost all the other things we do, and focusing on increasing it makes everything easier. Highly recommended read and a good compliment to some of the other books on the subject.

RR: 4.5/5 

Quantum Man: Richard Feynman’s Life in Science, by Lawrence Krauss

Notes: I’ve read Professor Feynman’s fascinating two autobiographies, and you will rarely find a more interesting character that has ever lived.  The best biography, in my opinion, was James Gleick’s “Genius”, although this one comes close, albeit with much less detail.  There seems to be a hunger for all things related to Richard Feynman in the last 15 years, including recordings of his lectures, and as a physicist, and not a writer, Krauss seems to focus much more on the technical aspect of Feynman’s life work, and not his unique personality as a teacher, nobel prize winner, and interesting character.

RR: 4.5/5 

Go for No! Yes is the Destination, No is How You Get There, by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz

Notes: My only reservation, and the reason why I deducted half a star, is that this book takes a long time to get to any meaningful point.  But the point, which is to stop looking to “wins” and try to increase the number of rejections you have in your life, may have a certain genius.  By getting out there in business, dating, friendship, you will become a better communicator as you get more “no” answers under your belt, and will quickly learn and craft your message to move towards what you want to happen.

RR: 4.5/5

Today We are Rich: Harnessing the Power of Total Confidence, by Tim Sanders

Notes: I think the self help title of this book turned me off, but when I finally picked it up and read it, I found it to be warm, well written, and a testament to family, and learning from others.  There are many lessons here and I was lucky to read this book this year.

RR: 4.5/5 

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, by Malcolm Gladwell

Notes: I have definitely become less of a fan of Gladwell’s work over the years, although he is the most successful business writer in the world today.  The Tipping Point, his first book, was genius.  How he handled the causes of crime in that book, and even his writing in Blink and Outliers, however, pales in comparison to the discussions in The Better Angels of Our Nature, and Freakonomics, on the same subjects however. It seems that Gladwell has a feeling of a good story, writes about it, and then tries to convince himself and others that it is true.  The conclusions that having dyslexia or losing a parent early on, seem to be “cherry picking” the data, although there may be a larger psychological pattern of having socially inept or learning issue, and psychotic psychological patterns assisting those in the tech and business worlds. His writing, however, is wonderful and detailed, which is his gift.  Just take his conclusions with a grain of salt.

RR: 4/5 

The Little Book that Beats the Market, by Joel Blatt

Notes: A small book, and an easy read, and well written.  Like most investment books, there is a concept that could be expressed on one page, or in one sentence even, but it feels stretched to fit an entire book.  The strategy is sound – looking at only return on capital, and earnings yield, you can identify value stocks that will outpace the market.  But it contradicts academic studies that show, with testing, that price per sales is the most valuable identifier of stock valuation.  Still, a good read, valuable book, and worth the day or less it takes to read.

RR: 4/5 

The Power of Self Confidence: Become Unstoppable, by Brian Tracy

Notes: I was worried that, since this author had another book I read, “The Science of Self Confidence”, that this would retreat the same information in the book I read last year.  Although I’m not the biggest fan of self help literature, Tracy is really the master of giving practical tips, information, and suggestions with no filler, making it worth the time to read or listen.  This was an excellent book and discusses much of the psychology and science of Self Confidence, without repeating information in other books. 

RR: 4/5 

The Five Love Languages of Children, by Gary Chapman

Notes: The simple lesson of this book is to observe and listen to your child when trying to figure out behavior.  But, like Chapman’s other books, this is a good simple reminder that different children have different ways of expressing themselves, and matching those preferences can make a world of difference.  Like the “quiet time” that Dr. Amen uses, or the “you’re the boss” technique that Tim Ferriss mentions, these techniques can help you with parenting your children, and I can say are very effective.

RR: 4/5 

Atlantic: Great Sea Battles, Heroic Discoveries, Titanic Storms, and a Vast Ocean of a Million Stories by Simon Winchester

Notes: As the book title mentions, there are a million stories involving this ocean, and Winchester tries to cover all the major port cities, the stories of not only the British, but the Vikings, the Dutch, Portugese, etc.  Whether these different cities and cultures have any connection other than the Atlantic ocean is dubious, but the stories, including the author’s personal stories of exploring sites on the shores of the Atlantic, are certainly interesting.

RR: 4/5

I’m a Stranger Here Myself: Notes on Returning to America after 20 years Away, by Bill Bryson

Notes: I have enjoyed Bill Bryson’s other works, and this was a much different book.  Assembled from columns he wrote, it focuses on America, our consumer culture, politics, and sometimes comes across as a complaining old man, and other times will make you die of laughter.  Much of this book was memorable, but it was very much hit and miss.

RR: 4/5

Authentic Happiness:  Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize your Potential, by Martin Seligman

Notes: From the former head of the American Psychology Association and author of the wildly successful book Learned Optimism, this book explores the value of keeping a gratitude journal (hello there), at great length, and the value of looking at setbacks as minor and temporary and successes as part of your innate talents.

RR: 4/5

Reinvention: How to make the rest of your life the best of your life, by Brian Tracy

Notes: As millions change their careers due to the economy, this book comes at a good time.  While wallowing in much of the same instructions that hundreds of other self help books, the best part of this book is that there is a specific plan of action and exercises to reinvent yourself into a new career.  A good book at a good time.

RR: 4/5

Galileo’s Daughter, by Dana Sovel

Notes: This book, which primarily revolves around the letters between Galileo, and his religious daughter, Maria Celeste Galilei, who was in a nun’s convent, brings you into the world of Italy and Pope Urban the VII , the Medicis of Florence, and the plague.  Primarily it examines the unique results of Galileo’s invention of and observations using the telescope, and how that challenged the words of the bible, the doctrine of the church.  The prosecution using the tools of the inquisition to silence Galileo changed both religion and science, both of whom were bloody from the exchange.  Eventually, science won, and it is interesting to see the concern of Maria, who is extremely religious, with Galileo, who thinks that the observations of the universe means that religion should change, and is somewhat angry that he is the one being blamed.  A great book about a wonderful and almost unknown part of a famous conflict.

RR: 4/5 

Roughneck Nine-One: The Extraordinary Story of a Special Forces A-Team at War, by Frank Antenori

Notes:  This books spends a lot of time on the preparation of special forces, and then a description of the 2003 battle in Iraq against a superior force at the battle of Debecka Pass.  A thrilling story and shows how the future of the military is in smaller, mobile, more effective (and cheaper) units, not in huge military budgets of the past. Comes across as a very humble and honestly told story, even if almost everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

RR: 4/5 

There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, by Wayne Dyer

Notes: I have to confess that the title of this book led me to believe this was a different type of book entirely.  But the simple wisdom of being kind to people over being right really connected with me.  Whether that’s a spiritual principle depends on how you define spirituality, but the message is clear and very helpful when bringing good to the world and being kind to your fellow human beings.

RR: 4/5 

Talent is Overrated, by Geoffrey Colvin

Notes:  This book hurts because it takes away most people’s excuse – that someone else is more talented.  What really matters is what the author calls over and over again “deliberate practice”, which is the only thing that separates those that seem to have talent from those that do not.  Like Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell, there are some great stories about greats like Benjamin Franklin, Jerry Rice, Chris Rock, employing these principles.

RR: 4/5 

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, by Oliver Sacks

Notes: This is an older book, but I so love Sacks’ writing that I finally read it this year. The story of the Irish woman whose stroke released a childhood lullaby was very much interesting and haunting to me.  Some of the other stories seemed too clinical to really catch the imagination.  Well written, and when it’s engaging, it’s definitely engaging.

RR: 4/5 

Master Strategies for Higher Achievement: Set Your Goals and Reach Them – Fast!, by Brian Tracy 

Notes: Some of this material has appeared elsewhere, but Brian Tracy, as always, fills this with practical information on increasing comprehension of new educational information to be learned, how to how to monitor progress and see if you’re doing a good job, and how to increase income and net worth.  Worth the time to read.

RR: 4/5 

Flight Plan:  The Real Secret to Success, by Brian Tracy

Notes: I have quite a few Brian Tracy titles in the reading list this year, and I am a fan.  But not every book is to the high level of practical advice in his best books.  This book builds in detail on the analogy of a flight plan from one of his earlier books, and developing a plan for your goals in detail, and then making constant course adjustments along the way to stay on track is the secret to success in following this book’s formula.  Good advice, although very much common sense.

RR: 4/5 

Awakenings, by Oliver Sacks

Notes: This book was a major movie, which I have not seen.  But the clear writing and the incredible story of a group of World War I veterans given a miracle drug (L-Dopa) that caused them to awaken after decades in a coma, is an amazing story.  Not as interesting as some of Sack’s later work, as it focuses on one problem, and one solution, and the effects, rather than various dysfunction and what it teaches us about the brain.

RR: 4/5 

How Successful People Lead: Taking Your Influence to the Next Level, by John Maxwell

Notes:  This book is basic, but so needed.  There actually is a very limited number of books that are truly about leadership of teams and companies, and this book starts with the types of leadership and how various skills can be developed that make one a much better leader.

RR: 4/5 

Happiness is an Inside Job:  Practicing for a Joyful Life, by Sylvia Boorstein

Notes: The fact that this very closely follows the structure of Buddhism, including the noble truths and the eight fold path, may turn some off and make others appreciate the integration with an existing branch of religion.  I found this book to be well written, and teaches one to use effort and what the author calls concentration (really mindfulness) to move daily towards greater happiness.

RR: 4/5

The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and The World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese, by Michael Paterniti

Notes: I’m glad I stumbled on this great book.  This book takes place in Guzman, Spain, and refers to a room dug into a cave in the hillside with two tables and chairs, where cheese maker Ambrosio tells the author of sheep’s milk, cave aged cheese, from an old family recipe, reported to be the best cheese in the world, which leads to an obsession with Castillian history, cheese making, and great storytelling.

RR: 4/5 

Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Notes: This book was very much a simple concept spread out over a longer book.  The entire book reminded me of the saying that “one option is no choice at all, two options are a dilemma, and three options or more are where you have real choices in life.” We, as humans, tend to stick to “either/or” thinking, which is not helpful, and not widen the options of the possible.  That’s where the authors (who are brothers), describe the “WRAP” principle, which is to 1. Widen your options; 2. Reality Test Your Assumptions; 3. Attain Some Distance, 4. Prepare to Be Wrong.  Very helpful and a good book.

RR: 4/5

Iwoz: How I Invented the Personal Computer and Had Fun Along the Way, by Steve Wozniak

Notes: This book is an amazing biography of an important figure in computing, from his early childhood and the influence of his father, to his work with Steve Jobs, to his work post apple trying to start a huge music festival (the US Festival), his marriages (which get brief discussion), plane crashes.  If you remember the early 80s, this is a very fun look at the earliest days of computing and video games, and the start of one of the biggest industries in the world (and the start of the biggest company in the world). But you also get the impression that Wozniak is one very very strange dude.  He has problems being social in every way possible, which is clear, but also has some childlike views on how the world should be run.  He says he considers his greatest accomplishment the fact that he created the first dial-a-joke line in the Silicon Valley, which is probably the least of his many accomplishments.

RR: 4/5 

How the Mind Works, by Stephen Pinker

Notes: I grabbed this book immediately after finishing the “Better Angels of Our Nature” above.  Although Professor Pinker, as always, is a great writer, and a deep thinker, this book was not as engaging.  Part of it is the subject matter, as there are long forays into artificial intelligence and robotics, but part of it is what I feel are wrongful conclusions about human evolutionary psychology in the fields of social selection.  Worth a read, even if you disagree. 

RR: 4/5 

The Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness, by Jeffrey Gitomer

Notes: As the book title suggests, the focus here is selling.  And it’s hard not to like Gitomer, as he is a master of humor.  But sometimes you want less jokes and more practical information, nuggets of which are few and far between here. The humor is intentional, however, as Gitomer believes that the best way to communicate with people in a business setting is humor, preferably self deprecating humor, as it says much more than the humor itself.  A good book for those looking for motivation or those in sales.

RR: 4/5 

The Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book that Changes Lives, by Dan Milman

Notes: This certainly did not seem like a book that changes lives, but it is an interesting story – about a gymnast who is injured, and meets a 94 year old maintenance man who teaches him the way of Zen.  Much of it is repeating how “I couldn’t believe it” as he learns what his friend, the old man named Socrates, teaches him.  Much length and little substance, but an interesting story.  I have not seen the film.

RR: 3.5/5 

Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883, by Simon Winchester

Notes: This book about one of the biggest catastrophes of nature and how it affected the nature of the Dutch settlers of Indonesia, affected the region for a century or more afterwards, and geologically how it happened.  A few too many tangential side tracks to be Winchester’s best work, but a great read anyway. 

RR: 3.5/5

A Crack in the edge of the world: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 by Simon Winchester

Notes: An interesting look at the world of California in the early 1900s, and the effects of the Great Earthquake of 1906.  Winchester also travels up and down the San Andreas Fault, camping and visiting cities and artifacts up and down the state.  Somehow that is, in places, boring. In fact, this book could have been retitled “San Andreas” and been more fitting to the contents.

RR: 3.5/5

The Planets, by Dava Sobel

Notes: This book was a mix of poetry, and mythology, and scientific knowledge.  On all fronts, not much you may not already know if you have a basic public school knowledge of the solar system.

RR: 3.5/5

Round About the Earth: Circumnavigation from Magellan to Orbit by Joyce Chaplin

Notes: A book all about one subject — Circumnavigation by sail, steam, or liquid fuel; by cycling, driving, flying, or going into orbit; even by using bodily power.  Great for history buffs, and does get across how dangerous it is to travel around the globe.  However, the author is not a good writer, and treats each aspect of this one subject, seemingly as dry as possible.

RR: 3.5/5

Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets, by Nassim Taleb

Notes: A great treatise on randomness in all its forms, and how important understanding random events is given financial markets, human brain patterns, psychology, risk assessment, and achieving satisfaction in life.  The author peppers many personal anecdotes throughout this book.  Normally, this would be helpful.  In this book it seemed distracting and served only to pump up the first time author.  A good book on randomness, but not a masterpiece.

RR: 3.5/5

Legacy of Ashes: The History of the Central Intelligence Agency, by Tim Weiner

Notes: I was prepared to really like this book.  Somehow, the dry writing and in depth reporting of details that seemed irrelevant lost me at several points.  This book really focuses on the Directorate of Operations arm of the CIA, and tries to make the case, using the history of the CIA from the beginning, that the CIA never was structured to fit its original mission, and has grown delusional and incompetent and serves no one’s interests well. In doing that, it seems to veer from a “history of the CIA” book, to a strong argument regarding policy changes, which is fine.  But I expected a different book, and this book seemed to be aimed at an audience different than the title suggests.  I did learn a lot, and for every dollar spent in intelligence, the military saves up to $25, and in the modern world, we can’t afford to be left without intelligence of potential actions against the USA.

RR: 3.5/5 

Four Queens:  The Provencal Sisters who Ruled Europe, by Nancy Goldstone

Notes: This unusual book, focusing on four sisters in the 13th Century who were daughters of the Count of Provence and ended up ruling Sicily, France, Germany and England, for a time, is a fascinating history about a subject I knew little about.  However, it is so meandering and poorly written, that only the great true facts of history keep this from being anything but a tough read.

RR: 3.5/5 

Undercover Sex Signals, by Leil Lowndes

Notes: Unfortunately this book has a ridiculous title.  But had it been titled, more accurately, “the importance of body language in analyzing behavior of the opposite sex”, it would still be as good as it can be.  The author is a little bit full of herself, and this book is full of stories of her and her friends from the world of acting on Broadway (where she was admittedly a bad actress, frustrating director after stage director), from the 1960s and 1970s. But there is definitely good information here.

RR: 3.5/5 

Drop Dead Healthy by A.J. Jacobs

Notes: I think AJ Jacobs, who wrote the above “year of living biblically”, described his writing style as “experimental biographies” (or something similar).  Here he tries every fitness tip he comes across, in an effort to become, from a sedentary slob, “the healthiest man on the planet”.  Instead he seems to go from wacky idea to wacky idea, over a two year period, from pole dancing to paleo workouts, never really seeing what makes him healthy or keeps him healthy long term.  This book seemed to be played just for the laughs, which is a shame, as it would have been interesting to see what stuck long term and what really works, as a true health experiment, not just a “oh look, here’s a pudgy author pole dancing.”

RR: 3/5

The Millionaire Messenger: Make a Difference and A Fortune Sharing Your Advice, by Brendon Burchard

Notes: The rise of the “guru”, in many areas of business, relationships, and health, makes this especially relevant.  Burchard looks at how you have experiences that are unique that others may pay for and describes how many others do this.  What is a turnoff is that this book reads like one big advertisement for you to join his “experts academy”, for an additional fee.  Some good nuggets here, but you should not have to buy a book to tell you to buy something else by the same author to get the information you paid for. 

RR: 3/5

Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to Develop Your Business, by Chris Brogan

Notes: This is a series of blog posts made into a book.  Unfortunately it reads that way also, with few unifying themes and sometimes even information that contradictions itself.  There are many good tips here, among many things that you already knew.  However, the useful tips make it worth the effort.

RR: 3/5 

How We Decide, by Jonathan Lahrer

Notes: I read another book by the same author last year, “Imagine”, which had plagiarized and made up information.  That book, and this book, were pulled by the publisher.  Another book I read, “Predictibly Irrational”, treated this same subject with much, much more detail, and better writing.  I have no idea if the author made up or copied the information in this book.  But the writing was boring and lazy, and it was not a thrilling read, which this subject can be.

RR: 3/5

Are You There Vodka?  It’s Me, Chelsea, by Chelsea Handler

Notes: This book was recommended to me by a long time friend, and it was a fun and funny read.  Definitely not a book for kids, and sometimes her stories slog along, but the stories are funny enough and cover her life from third grade up to vacationing with Dad. A good book if you’re a fan, and if you don’t know much about her, like me, may make you laugh a few times anyway.

RR: 3/5

It!  9 Secrets of the Rich and Famous that Will Take You to the Next Level, by Paula Froelich

Notes:  This is a book that is written by a New York Post gossip writer.  Yawn.  She claims to have found the secret to being famous.  I’m not sure how being a gossip reporter gives you special insight on being successful, but this book was a series of name dropping opportunities and stories of people doing things for fame that you likely would never do in your real career.

RR: 3/5 

The Drunk Diet: How I Lost 40 Pounds Wasted, by Luc Carl

Notes:  This book was recommended by a friend, and was a fast read.  By making simple substitutions to allow for drinking, the calories in and out equation changed, and he lost weight.  Lots of profanity, and not an intellectual page turner.  But even I learned something from this book.

RR: 3/5

Mathematics is Power, by William Bloch

Notes: This is a series of lectures adapted to book format regarding logic, truth, beauty, symmetry, and how mathematics impacts every day lives. You can tell Professor Bloch really loves the subject, but the subject matter is dryly presented when it in some cases did not need to be.

RR: 3/5

Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness, by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein

Notes: Much of the information in this book has been written elsewhere, including some of the other books on my list this year. This book could have been called “default”, as it shows how important setting the starting point (for minimum credit card payments, organ donors, 401(k) contributions) can be, since most people never change it.  Much of the book is not well written and doesn’t make the impact the authors likely hoped.

RR: 3/5

Every day is an Atheist Holiday, by Penn Jillette

Notes: Loud, profane, and without recognition of grey areas, just like its author, this book was funny in spots, and definitely gets the author’s points across like a sledgehammer.  An interesting forceful review of his libertarian views with glimpses of his magic and television shows in between.

RR: 3/5 

The Tools: 5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower–and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion, by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels

Notes: This book identifies all problems in human behavior and psychology in four broad categories – negativity, pain avoidance, unrealistic thinking, and insecurities.  Unfortunately, they suffer from unrealistic thinking in believing that by using the exercises in the book, “unseen spiritual forces” will come to aid those suffering from these categories of ailments.  I’m not a psychologist.  But I doubted reading this book that all problems are one of four roots (and I could be wrong), and looking at it that way may destroy the subtleties of many ailments (including the good side of certain behaviors).  Using the exercises as a form of prayer and religion might work for some, but is deceptive and not proactive to others.

RR: 3/5

Get Anyone to Do Anything, by David Lieberman

Notes:  This book promises to teach you to outsmart, outthink, and out maneuver anyone anytime anywhere.  That made me laugh just reading it.  There is not bad advice here, and even if it seems mediocre, it works.  But it is definitely overstated, and most of the advise is of the “find what the other person wants and get them to go along with what you want by showing that it closely fits what they want”, which is not bad advice.  Just not advice for anyone anytime anywhere.

RR: 3/5 

It Works: The Famous Little Red Book that Makes Your Dreams Come True, by “RJH”

Notes:  This book is 28 pages, so it’s more of a pamphlet.  Someone in a podcast I listen do talked this up, and I ordered it (at under $3, why not?).  Some of this sounds like “The Secret”, in that this short book says to (1) Write down (in as much detail as possible) exactly what you want, (2) Think about it in the present tense; and (3) Don’t mention anything about it until you see results.  Focusing on your goals is important and will definitely help.  Most people probably need more guidance to stay on track, however.

RR: 3/5 

Getting Past Your Breakup: How To Turn a Devastating Loss into the Best Thing That Ever Happened to You, by Susan Elliott

Notes: Someone recommended this book, although I can’t remember who or why.  Written in a condescending tone, it uses blog posts, articles, and emailed questions to make a point.  That point can be summed up in four words: Don’t. Contact. Your. Ex.  Otherwise, the book will not be horribly helpful to those that might need it most, in my opinion.

RR: 2.5/5 

The Fountain of Wealth, by Paul Pilzer

Notes: This book, by an economist and millionaire, has a great title.  But that’s about it.  Instead of learning about a “fountain of wealth”, whatever that might be, we get a lot of stories about how great the author is.  That includes the author writing “look at the big picture” too many times to count, which is just bad and lazy writing.

RR: 2.5/5

How We Learn, by Monisha Pasupathi

Notes: I truly thought this short book would have insight on how to optimize learning of new things, but instead, it was a (very) dry treatise on education and teaching methods throughout history.  The success or failure of those methods would have been welcomed, not just a boring repetition of information.

RR: 2/5 

The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer

Notes: A rambling mess of a book, it does talk about Christianity, Buddhism, being God yourself, and willing intention to make things happen in your own life.  Only those aligned with “intention”, according to Dyer, will have good things happen to them.  Disagree.

RR: 2/5